Manatees in Florida have an addiction to power plants. Researchers are easing them off

Manatees — Courtesy: Shutterstock — Image by: Lukasz Machowczyk Manatees in Florida were driven from warm springs to power plants by pollution. Their new built homes are disappearing as the state moves toward renewable energy. On the Gulf Coast of the state, close to Apollo Beach, the huge, gray, barnacled Florida manatees idly float close

‘End Run Around the Endangered Species Act’ in Florida is overturned by a US court

Endangered Species Act – Florida Panther – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by jo Crebbin A federal court ruling on Thursday found that federal agencies violated the law when they permitted Florida’s right-wing government to take over wetlands permitting under former Republican President Donald Trump. This will restore “essential guardrails provided by the Endangered Species Act,”

Amidst an ongoing mortality crisis, about 1,000 manatees gathered at a record-breaking number at a Florida state park

Manatees Close-Up Portrait – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Andrea Izzotti Manatees in Florida have been fighting for their lives for the past few years, but a few days ago, the species provided a piece of more positive news from one state park. A few dozen miles north of Orlando, in Blue Springs State Park,

Florida’s manatee mating season is in full swing – Here’s what to know

Manatee eating — Courtesy: Shutterstock — Image by: somdul A Florida’s sheriff office has a special manatee-related message for concerned county residents: “If you see [manatees], no you didn’t,” the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office in Largo, Florida, about 20 miles from Tampa, wrote in a Facebook post accompanied by Marvin Gaye singing Let’s Get It

Alarming manatee death toll numbers in Florida push calls for endangered status

Endangered manatee swimming in water — Courtesy: Shutterstock — Image by: Peter Douglas Clark Following the nearly 2,000 manatee deaths in Florida’s coastal and inland waterways over the past two years, a coalition of environmental organizations has called for the species to be urgently reclassified as endangered. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), according

Celtics co-owner donates $2 million in an effort to protect Florida manatees

Manatees Swimming – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Thierry Eidenweil A co-owner of the Boston Celtics is donating a whopping $2 million toward protecting Florida’s manatees and their habitats following two devastating seasons of record-breaking manatee mortalities throughout the state. The Fox Rock Foundation will give $1 million each to the nonprofits Fish & Wildlife

Lion Country Safari brings a wild drive-thru experience to Florida residents

Lion Country Safari, Loxahatchee, FL — Courtesy: Shutterstock — mariakray Right here in the Sunshine State, Florida residents can immerse themselves in a four-mile safari with thriving naturalistic habitats and large herds of roaming animals. Lion Country Safari, located in Loxahatchee, is the largest drive-thru safari in the state and the first one in the

How Florida’s Key deer may be close to climate extinction

Key Deer — Courtesy: Shutterstock — moosehenderson When Hurricane Irma destroyed south Florida in September of 2017, it knocked out electricity for millions, inundated homes, and killed more than 30 people. However, the devastation was not confined to humans.  In the Florida Keys, one of the Sunshine State’s most beloved species also took a beating:

According to officials, Florida’s lettuce test project has fed 25 tons of lettuce to manatees

Manatee Eating Lettuce — Courtesy: Shutterstock — Mary-Kaitlyn Arnette The unprecedented human effort to save starving Florida manatees has so far provided the adorable marine mammals with over 25 tons of lettuce, officials said Wednesday. The round-tailed, snout-nosed animals that are popular with tourists and locals have suffered a major die-off. Their preferred seagrass food

Two bald eagle eggs hatch in Florida as the world watches online

Bald Eagle in Nest — Courtesy: Shutterstock — Image by: Kane513 Two baby bald eagles have hatched in Florida and warmed the hearts of those watching as it was all caught on camera. The parents, Harriet and her mate, M15, have spent over a month patiently taking turns protecting and incubating the eggs, taking breaks