Florida Officials’ Plan Has Fed Sea Cow With 25 Tons Of Lettuce

“We’re making a difference,” Officials from the Sunshine State, have started a pilot program for saving Manatees (Seacow) by feeding food to the animal. Thus far over 25 tons of lettuce has been provided to the loveable manatees. Officials said, “The feeding program involving donated romaine lettuce at a Florida Power & Light Plant on the east coast is attracting about 300 to 350 manatees per day. It’s been as many as 800 manatees at times, sometimes less than 60 as they move around the waterways.”

Water pollution is the major cause

The large aquatic herbivorous marine mammals have suffered massively due to starvation. Seagrass, which could be a preferred food for manatees has been vanishing recently because of water pollution from point sources and non-point sources.

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Uptick in mortalities

According to reports, Yesteryear alone, 1101 manatees were dead mostly from starvation. This year, until now, 164 manatees were reported as dead, in this five dead from collisions with ships.

“Feed them with your dollars”

Usually, wildlife specialists did not encourage feeding wild animals. As a result of it, they began to associate people with food. The Officers say that a wise choice is to donate money through a sponsored organization and ensure to report manatees with any sick or troubling.

Big Improvement

Approximately over 8,800 manatees live in Florida waters. It’s is a huge success from 2000 manatees in the 1990s. 

Reinert said, “But even with this unusual die-ff, there’s only a 1% chance of manatees becoming extinct in the wild any time soon. The key will be restoring seagrass beds, which is a long-term project funded by $8 million in state dollars so far.”

He said, “You can’t just go out and plant a bunch of seagrasses,” and added, “Projects are getting started and are in the planning stages.”