Date: Wed, 3 Jan 1996
Florida's manatees dying in near-record number

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla, (Reuter) - Florida recorded its second-highest death toll of endangered manatees in 1995 as 201 of the gentle, slow-moving sea cows died in protected state waters, officials said on Wednesday. They were alarmed by the high number of deaths, surpassed only by the 206 recorded in 1990 when a fierce cold snap boosted the toll, but were encouraged by indications that deaths resulting from human activity were down.

Of the 201 deaths, fifty-five were related to human activity, compared to 70 in 1994, when the death toll was 193.
"What we did see in 1995 is a downturn in the number of manatee deaths caused by human activity," said Scott Wright, a scientist at the Florida Marine Research Institute. "That means public awareness is up, many boaters are slowing down and manatees are being better protected."

Manatees, which frequent warm, shallow water, are mammals that often drift just below the surface of the water, leaving them prey to speeding boats. Many bear deep scars from boat propellers.

The state's population of manatees -- lumbering vegetarians that can grow to 15 feet (4.5 metres) in length and a ton in weight -- has been decimated as the number of registered boats in Florida has doubled from about 400,000 to 800,000 since 1974, officials said.

There are believed to be only about 1,800 manatees, whose origins date back 45 million years, remaining in Florida waters, state biologists said. The entire state of Florida has been decreed a manatee sanctuary.



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