Baby manatees are starving to death

 

Six months into the year, 2025 is on pace to be one of the worst years for manatee deaths ever recorded.1 Water pollution is choking off the seagrass that manatees rely on for food, causing hundreds of these gentle giants to starve to death, while another 50 manatees have been killed this year after being brutally run over by speedboats.2,3 We're demanding that state and federal authorities take urgent action to halt this mass manatee die-off. Will you make a donation to help save the manatees? The number of manatee deaths reported by the state of Florida declined from a record 1,100 in 2021 to less than 600 in 2023 and 2024. But this year, we're on pace to see the number of deaths skyrocket.4,5 It's no mystery what's putting manatees in so much danger. Manatees are vegetarians that rely on seagrass for food almost exclusively, and water pollution is choking off so much of this vital food source that it's being described as a "seagrass famine."6 The sight of an emaciated young manatee, dead as a result of human carelessless, is simply heartbreaking. Together, federal, state and local governments can give the manatees the help they need to survive, but it will require a major effort to convince officials to take the necessary action to reduce runoff pollution, preserve key habitat and impose stricter speed limits on boats to reduce deadly collisions. That's why we're asking all our supporters to make an urgent donation today to help save the manatee while we also keep working to defend our last wild forests, save the bees and more. Manatees are facing a mass-starvation emergency. Will you make a donation to help save them? Thank you, Lisa Frank Executive Director 1. Kylie Williams, "Florida manatee deaths again raising alarms," E&E News, June 23, 2025. 2. Zachary T. Sampson, Shreya Vuttaluru and Bethany Barnes, "Wasting Away," Tampa Bay Times, April 2, 2025. 3. Jackson McGuire, "Florida manatee deaths on the rise, boat strikes a leading cause," WUFT News, June 18, 2025. 4. Kylie Williams, "Florida manatee deaths again raising alarms," E&E News, June 23, 2025. 5. "Manatee Mortality Statistics," Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, last accessed July 11, 2025. 6. Max Chesnes, "800 Florida manatees died in 2022 as starvation lingers -- but most survived red tide," Tampa Bay Times, January 11, 2023. Your donation will be used to support all of our campaigns to protect the environment, from saving the bees and protecting public lands, to standing up for clean water and fighting climate change. None of our work would be possible without supporters like you.

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