Florida has recorded 148 manatee deaths so far this year, with about half in the waters of three counties, a report from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shows.
Lee, on the Gulf coast, had the most manatee deaths with 31, while Brevard on the Atlantic coast, recorded 30. Citrus registered the third most, with 14, followed by Manatee with 11.
Hillsborough County had four deaths.
Others included Franklin, with six, Monroe, with five, and Broward, Charlotte and Martin with four each.
The count included manatee deaths from Jan. 1 to Feb. 14.
It was the first time since 2022 that manatee deaths topped 100 over the same period.
In Lee, 21 of deaths were verified, but the mammals were not necropsied. Natural causes accounted for four, accidents for three deaths, cold stress and perinatal for one each, and was listed as “other.”
In 2024, 565 manatee deaths were reported in Florida; 555 in 2023; 800 in 2022; 1,100 in 2021; and 637 in 2020.
