Florida manatees

Deep Dive into herbicides: Can Florida cut back on all the spraying?

August 7, 2025

At the May 10 South Florida Water Management District Governing Board meeting, member Ben Butler said he’s heard “numerous concerns” about the district’s use of herbicides. Butler, manager of the family-owned dairy farm Butler Oaks Farm north of Lake Okeechobee,…

Deep Dive: Baby manatees are dying – and it might be a sign of recovery

September 26, 2024

So far this year, 133 baby manatee have been found dead in Florida, a mortality rate more than twice the five-year average and more deaths than any other entire year since the state began keeping records in 1974. Still, manatee…

Manatee deaths slowing, but could Lake O discharges change that?

June 29, 2023

First the good news: The record pace of manatee deaths in Florida has slowed. Two years ago Florida saw a record 1,100 manatee deaths. The primary cause of this “unusual mortality event” was starvation due to the loss of seagrass…

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