Manatee death rate on pace to beat state record, one found dead in Stuart this week Updated: 7:16 PM EDT Apr 3, 2021 Local residents found a dead manatee in a canal this week. Share Updated: 7:16 PM EDT Apr 3, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript GRAPHIC. MORE THAN 500 MANATEES HAVE BEEN FOUND DEAD IN FLORIDA SO FAR IN 2021 AND THIS YEAR THE STATE IS ON PACE TO BREAK THE RECORD FOR MOST MANATEES FOUND DEAD IN ONE YEAR THAT GRIM RECORD WAS SET IN 2013 WHEN 830 MANATEES WERE FOUND DEAD. THIS YEAR’S RATE COULD MORE THAN DOUBLE THAT NUMBER ON MONDAY CHIP BARRY GOT A CALL FROM HIS NEIGHBOR IN THE MARINER CAME MARINA NEIGHBORHOOD OF STUART LETTING HIM KNOW THERE WAS A DEAD MANATEE IN THE CANAL BEHIND HIS HOME IT WAS FLOATING ABOUT A FOOT OUT OF THE WATER. IT’S REALLY DISHEARTENING. HE CALLED THE FORD EFFICIENT WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION AND ALSO LED HIS NEIGHBORS KNOW THE MANATEE WAS FLOATING DOWN THE CANAL TOWARD THEM, BUT IT WAS JUST HEARTBREAKING. IT’S JUST SO SAD. I JUST FELT TERRIBLE FOR THE MANATEE WITH SPACE UP. THAT’S THE THING. IT WAS FLOATING ON ITS BACK FWC LEADERS, SAY THE MANATEE WAS TOO DECOMPOSED WHEN OFFICERS RETRIEVED IT FOR A CAUSE OF DEATH TO BE DETERMINED. HOWEVER, THEY ARE ATTRIBUTING THE INCREASED MANATEE DEATH RATE THIS YEAR TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS AND PORTIONS OF THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON AND A DECREASE IN FOOD AVAILABILITY US WILDLIFE LEADERS ARE CONSIDERING THIS AN UNUSUAL MORTALITY EVENT OPENING THE DOOR FOR MORE FEDERAL INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE PROBLEM LEADERS OF INDIAN RIVERKEEPER. TELL WPBF 25 NEWS THAT THE SEAGRASSES DISAPPEARING DUE TO POLLUTION OVER THE ASK 8 9 10 YEARS SEAGRASS HAS DECLINED SO QUICKLY AND SO COMPLETELY THEY DON’T HAVE THE NORMAL MANATEE GRASS AND SOIL GRASS THAT THEY NORMALLY FEED ON IT’S NOT THERE ANYMORE THE ONIONS REVERSE THIS TREND IS PROVIDE A FOOD SOURCE, AND THAT IS GOING TO TAKE YEARS OF INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS. HE ALSO SAYS THE USE OF HERBICIDES COULD BE CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROBLEM. WE HAVE TO GET THE WATER QUALITY BACK TO THE POINT WHERE IT WILL SUPPORT SEAGRASS GROWTH AND THAT WILL BENEFIT ALL KIND OF CREATURES REPORTING IN MARTIN