Debate arises as Florida manatees remain classified as threatened

In a recent proposal, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recommended keeping Florida manatees classified as a threatened species. This decision comes after significant advocacy from environmental groups who believe these manatees should be reclassified as endangered due to their ongoing mortality crises. Until 2017, Florida manatees had been listed as endangered, a status that afforded them greater protections. However, following a reclassification, the proposed rule now indicates that while Florida manatees are being managed through various conservation initiatives, the mounting evidence of unusual mortality events warrants a reevaluation of their status. A historic high of manatee deaths was recorded in 2021, with starvation linked to seagrass depletion cited as a primary cause. As a result, federal and state agencies initiated drastic measures to mitigate these threats, including feeding lettuce to manatees in areas suffering from seagrass loss. In addition to starvation concerns, manatees are still vulnerable to various other threats, such as boat strikes and environmental factors like red tide. Consequently, the proposal differentiates between Florida manatees and Antillean manatees, leading to the latter being considered endangered due to their declining population trends and habitat isolation. The Fish and Wildlife Service's proposed rule owes its basis to the best scientific and commercial data available, although critics argue this analysis fails to account for the severity of the current mortality crisis affecting Florida manatees.