Conservation Group Sues EPA Over Florida Manatee Deaths

Three conservation groups are going to be suing the Environmental Protection Agency for failing to protect the manatees in Florida from pollution.

Over half of the 1,000 manatee deaths in Florida can be attributed to starvation after pollution and poor quality control of the water caused algae blooms. The blooms blocked sunlight from getting to the seagrass that the manatees normally feed on, thereby killing their main source of food. 

Jaclyn Lopez, Florida director at the Center, said, “It’s disgraceful that hundreds of manatees have died as a direct result of regulators’ failure to protect our water quality. The Indian River Lagoon is an ecological wonder that supports not just manatees, but green sea turtles, snook, tarpon, and a stunning diversity of marine life. The mass death of these manatees, which was completely preventable, makes it clear just how critical it is that the EPA take swift action to protect the vibrant ecosystem they live in before it’s too late.”

Florida’s waters have been polluted from numerous sources that have remained unchecked, making it very possible that such instances of these mass manatee deaths can happen again.

Lindsay Dubin, staff attorney at Defenders of Wildlife, said, “Until Florida is forced to rein in its rampant pollution, manatees will continue to die slow, agonizing deaths by starvation every winter. The EPA must act immediately to improve water-quality standards lest it further jeopardizes the future of this iconic species.”

The manatee starvation has forced wildlife services to strongly consider a feeding program for the manatees – asolution that would never have been needed if the pollution was kept under control to protect the species.

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