Since January 1, Lee County has lost 58 manatees, most after a cold snap hit Southwest Florida. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) released its final report on Wednesday, confirming the spike in manatee deaths and addressing rumors about potential causes.
FWC staff continue to keep a close watch on manatee deaths in Lee County and nearby areas. The primary culprit: cold stress. When the temperature drops, manatees need warm-water refuges to survive. If water falls below 68 degrees, they gather in places like springs or near power plants.
Some worried that the Florida Power & Light (FPL) Fort Myers plant played a role in the deaths. The FWC report says that’s not the case. FPL followed all the rules in its license and manatee protection plan, and there’s no investigation into the plant. In fact, FPL has a long history of working with FWC on manatee conservation, and they’ve agreed to go above and beyond their license to help protect manatees during future cold spells.
The plant releases warm water into Manatee Park on State Road 80 and into the Orange River. Manatees flock there when the weather turns chilly; it’s a reliable warm spot when they need it most. Still, the cold this year proved too much for many.
The FWC report includes a chart listing where and when manatees died in Lee County this year. Forty-nine of the 58 deaths happened after January 2. The FWC report confirms that twelve deaths resulted from cold stress. Watercraft collisions caused three deaths. The authorities haven’t autopsied the rest, so they don’t know the exact causes. Most deaths occurred in the Orange and Caloosahatchee Rivers, but manatees also died in the Gulf, Estero Bay, Fish Trap Bay, San Carlos Bay, Punta Rassa Cove, Matlacha Pass, and Glover Bight in Cape Coral.
Last year, Lee County saw 49 manatee deaths in the same period from January 1 to February 25, with 114 for the year. Many causes went unverified.
FWC biologists document every recovered carcass in their preliminary manatee mortality report, which you can find on their website. These efforts help track threats to Florida’s manatees and guide resource managers as they work to protect them.
If you see an injured, distressed, or dead manatee, report it to the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922). The sooner responders know, the better chance they have of providing help.
