"2021 Is Already The Deadliest Year On Record For Florida Manatees"

"More manatees have already died in 2021 than any other year in state history, as biologists point to seagrass loss in the Indian River Lagoon as a catalyst for starvation and malnutrition.

At least 841 manatees have died in Florida waters, mostly in Brevard County's stretch of the 156-mile-long lagoon, from Jan. 1 to July 2, according to the latest Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission data available Friday.

That breaks the previous record set in 2013, when 830 manatees died after exposure to red tide toxins killed many of the sea cows. "

Max Chesnes reports for Treasure Coast Newspapers July 9, 2021.