From: CBS 4 Miami
“As 2018 comes to a close, it’s been a bad year of Florida’s manatee population with the second highest number of deaths ever recorded. According to preliminary figures posted by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), more than 800 manatees died in 2018, a nearly 50% increase over the prior year. The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said through December 21st there were a total of 804 manatee deaths, higher than any other year save the massive die-off in 2013 which saw 830 deaths.”