Reports of at least 25 dead manatees in Lee County have been received by Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission officials.<\/p>\n
A statement from the FWC says that they recently received an increase in reports of deceased manatees in the Orange River and surrounding areas of Fort Myers.<\/p>\n
Between Feb. 13 and Feb. 18, approximately 25 manatee mortalities were reported in Lee County. Initial observations suggest cold stress may be a contributing factor; however, these data are preliminary and this event is an active and ongoing investigation.<\/p>\n
Members of the public can help by reporting any injured, distressed, or deceased manatees to the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) so trained responders can assist.<\/p>\n
Lee County’s Manatee Park on State Road 80 was closed earlier on Thursday due to unforeseen circumstances and reopened later in the day. A spokesperson for the county directed questions about manatee deaths at the park to the FWC.<\/p>\n
The warm water in the Manatee Park canal comes from the Florida Power and Light Power Plant across the street and is created as a byproduct of cooling off their equipment. The canal empties into the Orange River on the south end of the park.<\/p>\n
There have been other reports around the state of wildlife affected by the recent cold weather in Florida.<\/p>\n
WUSF Public Media reported Thursday that almost 800 cold-stunned sea turtles have washed ashore throughout the state so far this year.<\/p>\n
This happens when the water gets too cold for them to tolerate, causing them to become inactive and float to the surface.<\/p>\n
Allen Foley, a wildlife biologist with the FWC, said the water has to be unusually chilly for an extended time for this to happen.<\/p>\n
“So when it drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, when it gets in the 40s, then it gets to be too cold for turtles. They can tolerate it for a short period of time, say a day or so, but after that they begin to succumb,” Foley said.<\/p>\n
Rescued turtles are usually kept in rehabilitation for about 24 to 48 hours before being released back into the wild.<\/p>\n