Intensive Care Unit For Manatees Focus Of New Care Center In Clearwater

CLEARWATER, FL — They thrived in the waters surrounding the Florida peninsula for 15 million years.

Today, the West Indian manatee that has made its home in Florida's waters for eons is officially a threatened species under the Federal Endangered Species Act. Up until May 2017, the manatee had the less severe classification of endangered species.

But the docile manatee once thrived in the region, confirmed by the abundant fossil skeletons excavated from shell and phosphate pits in Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee, Hardee, Citrus, DeSoto and Hamilton counties.

With no known natural enemies (even sharks shy away from taking a bite out of the manatee's tough, wrinkled, leathery skin) these prehistoric gentle giants most likely spent their days doing what their contemporary counterparts do.

They grazed on the once-plentiful seagrass beds of Florida's bays, estuaries and coastal waters, raised their calves, migrated to warmer water in the winter and lived to be 50 to 60 years old.

Once numbering in the hundreds of thousands, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said there are 7,520 manatees left in Florida waters.

At no other time in history has this species been as close to extinction as it is today, said Dr. James "Buddy" Powell, chief zoological officer for the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, who has fought to protect these harmless creatures around the globe for more than 50 years through hands-on field study and scientific research.

"We've lost over 2,000 manatees since 2000," said Clearwater Marine Aquarium CEO Joe Handy.

According to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 258 manatees have died so far this year. In 2022, a total of 800 manatees died and, in 2021, there was a record number of 1,100 manatee deaths.

Referred to as an "unusual mortality event," the unprecedented number of manatee deaths prompted the aquarium to take the next step in its mission to protect these loveable, somewhat strange-looking creatures with 10-foot-long tube-shaped gray bodies, beady eyes, whiskered faces and paddle-shaped tails.

Using money from the state, the FWC, Duke Energy Foundation, the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program and a handful of private donors, the aquarium broke ground on Tuesday on its new manatee rehabilitation center, what amounts to a manatee version of an intensive care unit.

"The center we're going to have here is not just a place to house manatees. It's the emergency room. It's a critical care facility," said Powell. "We're not just satisfied with taking care of these animals, we also want to do the critical care."

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"This is history in the making," said Handy. "This is our opportunity to step into the gap to address an issue that is important to all of us."

Manatees are considered a "flagship species," an indicator of health and balance in the natural aquatic habitat. Therefore, their unprecedented mortality rate could be an alarm, alerting scientists to environmental and habitat changes that may otherwise go unnoticed.

It was witnessing the rising death of manatees that prompted Powell to launch the Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute in 2019, merging the staff and programs of the former Sea to Shore Alliance.

The intent, Powell said, was to broaden the conservation and research scope of the aquarium, resulting in new discoveries that could protect the species globally.

The new rehabilitation center is the next natural extension of that effort, he said.

For over a decade, aquarium biologists and researchers have assisted in rescuing, releasing and tracking wild manatees around the world.

The center will allow the staff to also treat the manatees it rescues, broadening the conservation and research scope of its work, resulting in advancements in the protection of the species and its habitats both locally and globally, Powell said.

Powell said the center will use technology including ozone treatment and medical habitats with false bottoms for the comfort of the manatees and safety of the animal care staff.

“The manatee care center represents a full circle moment for us, as we have already assisted with the rescue, research and monitoring of manatees," Powell said. "Now we’ll be able to provide the care needed for their best chance of recovery and survival.

“Global research and actual care go hand in hand. By studying the manatees both in the wild and in our care, we can better understand their needs and behaviors, and develop more effective conservation strategies. Our biologists who work in the field can learn so much about the behavior of manatees," Powell said.

The manatees themselves will learn as well, said Powell.

"We want to be able to train the manatees here behaviorally, so they have the best chance of survival and thriving once they're released back out in the wild," he said. "That's what we're doing here. We are saving animals and putting them back out there, so they can continue to contribute to the manatee population."

To date, the research institute has tagged and monitored more than 67 manatees for the Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Partnership, a consortium of more than two dozen private and governmental agencies.

The aquarium also offers staffing, vehicles and a rescue boat to aid the partnership's efforts.

Clearwater marine institute scientists not only monitor rehabilitated manatees as partners in the MRP but study the movement patterns of tagged wild manatees throughout the southeast United States and Caribbean to better understand changing migration patterns and shifts in habitats selected for survival within the manatee population overall, said Powell.

What's Killing Manatees?

Biologists don't have all the answers.

The cause of the majority of manatee deaths is unknown because the FWC is unable to recover their bodies to conduct necropsies on them. They might die and be washed out into the Gulf, sink to the bottom of the ocean or be washed into mangroves where they remain hidden.

So far in 2023, there were 128 unrecovered manatees. In 2022, 328 manatees were never recovered and in 2022 the number of unrecovered manatees was 465.

Other causes of manatee deaths are more clear.

One of the biggest dangers to manatees is man.

Manatees are injured or killed each year after suffering deep gashes on their backs from careless boaters running over the sea cows with sharp props.

Already this year, props have killed 28 manatees. In 2022, 24 were killed and in 2021, 35 died.

Others are starving to death. Polluted runoff from wastewater treatment facilities and fertilizer seeping into waterways after being placed on yards by homeowners more intent on keeping their grass green than saving a dying species are causing the seagrass beds that manatees depend on for food to die off.

While the cause of red tide, a toxic algae bloom, remains under debate — some scientists calling it a natural phenomenon and other saying it's the result of water contamination — the end result has been the death of numerous marine animals including manatees.

Other causes of death include cold stress syndrome and difficulties giving birth.

Educating People

Handy said another component of the aquarium's plan is to provide education.

“Clearwater Marine Aquarium is committed to the conservation and protection of manatees, and the aquarium plays a vital role in this effort,” said Handy. “By educating our visitors and supporting research and rescue efforts, we can make a real difference in the survival of these gentle giants. It is our responsibility to ensure that future generations have the opportunity to appreciate and admire these magnificent creatures in their native waters.”