Manatee Population News Today

Blue Spring State Park rangers counted nearly 1,000 manatees on a cold morning, a sign that protective measures have been successful.

FAU researchers are among the first to use a deep learning-based crowd counting approach to count manatees, using images captured from CCTV cameras.

“It’s a baby step, honestly."

Florida Fish and Wildlife began a manatee feeding program to provide leafy greens to the gentle giants.

Prescribed by your doctor is another important lesson to take away from this. thank you, sir, god bless. >> benjamin: wildlife tragedy in florida. manatees are dying in record numbers a even though theyre a protected species. a rescue plan is underway to save them. were live from indian river, florida. >> good morning, benjamin. more than half of the 1,000 manatee deaths this year happened in and along the indian river. wildlife officials now have a new untested plan to try to save the fraj inma...

This is a live look at tampa from fox 13. one of the big stories there tonight, the start of manatee awareness month arrives as the state grapples with alarming rate of manatee deaths. nearly 15% of the manatee population has died this year. the death rate has been triggered or has, rather, triggered a federal investigation. thats tonights live look outside the beltway from "special report" were inside the beltway sort of but well be right back. ♪ ♪ >> tech: when you get a chip in your winds...

The manatee population off the coasts of Florida had been dying off at an 'unprecedented rate', and officials say this could be a result of their collapsing ecosystem.

>> i dont know the answer to that question. >> reporter: so many unknown on top of an already uncertain future. 10% of the known manatee population was just wiped out in florida, many by the unusually frigid winter. in the waters of floridas crystal river we went looking for survivors. manatees still roring from the stress of the cold. >> we add to this any levels of mortality from oil, were looking at things that will take many, many, many years of recovery. >> reporter: its not hard to spot a ...

It used to be the manatees biggest threat by getting hit by boats. getting hit by an oil spill is unheard of, and alarming. >> we dont know how detrimental will be if they inhale it, if they ingest it, if theyre foraging in areas where sea grass has been oiled. we have no idea how thats going to impact them. >> reporter: and no ones taking any chances. as the massive bp spill moves east, the u.s. fish and wildlife service in florida has drawn up a plan to move and rescue oiled manatees. aerial s...