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Red Tide Suspected in Recent Manatee Deaths

News Announcement

April 10, 2007

Contact:

Cathy Palmer  (727) 896-8626

RED TIDE SUSPECTED IN RECENT MANATEE DEATHS

Biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Fish and Wildlife Institute (FWRI) recently have responded to calls about dead manatees in Southwest Florida, primarily in western Lee County.

Necropsies or non-human autopsies indicate a number of these animals may be dying as a result of exposure to red tide.

The link below will take you to a page where you can download a list of manatee carcasses in which exposure to red tide is the suspected cause of death.  This information is based on preliminary reports and final verification is subject to additional laboratory work.

Preliminary manatee red tide mortalities

Anyone who finds a dead or injured manatee is asked to call the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

Additional Information:

• Red Tide Current Status for Southwest Florida
• View the 2007 Preliminary Manatee Mortality Report and Search for Manatee Mortalities from Previous Years