Florida manatee deaths were up in 2016, but the manatee population has also grown.
- 6,620 manatees counted in annual census
- Most since the census began in 1991
- 520 manatees reported dead in 2016
Florida wildlife officials released the results of the annual manatee census Monday. Observers counted 6,620 manatees from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2 -- the most since the state began the census in 1991.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said its state team of 15 observers counted 3,488 manatees on the east coast and 3,132 manatees on the west coast.
It's the third straight year the manatee census topped 6,000 manatees.
The observers conduct aerial surveys every year, in which they go up and count the manatees visible in Florida waters during the survey. The counts are usually done after a cold front, when massive amounts of manatees congregate in warm water spots. These synoptic surveys focus on known manatee spots, like springs or power plant discharges.
FWC said the weather helped with the counts this year.
In 2016 the federal government downgraded the manatees' protected status from endangered to threatened because populations have rebounded.
Nevertheless manatees do face other dangers. In 2016 FWC says 520 manatees were reported dead. That's the most reported manatee deaths since 2013, when 830 manatees were reported dead.
In 2016, 150 manatee deaths were listed as "undetermined," which could mean either the manatee carcass was in an advanced state of decomposition or the necropsy findings were inconclusive.
FWC said 113 manatee deaths in 2016 were "perinatal," which means the manatees were small, possibly young, and they did not die of human-related causes.
However, 104 manatees were killed by watercraft in 2016. That number has gone up steadily over the last few years.
According to preliminary data from FWC, 68 manatees were killed from January through February 10.
You can see all of the manatee mortality research on the FWC website.