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Florida Manatee Program

Manatee Unusual Mortality Event

FWC is investigating a high level of manatee mortalities and responding to manatee rescues along the central and south Atlantic coast of Florida.

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Report a distressed or dead manatee

Report violations online or call 888-404-FWCC (888-404-3922). Cellular phone users can also call #FWC or *FWC.

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FWC's Manatee Program

The Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) is a native species found in many of Florida’s waterways. The Florida manatee population has grown to a minimum of 8,350 animals today and as a result, the species was reclassified from an endangered to a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act in May 2017.

Florida manatees are considered one of the state’s keystone species whose behavior can alert researchers to the environmental and habitat changes that may otherwise go unnoticed in Florida’s waterways for extended periods of time. Please browse the manatee program web pages to find out more about this unique imperiled species.

FWC Law Enforcement boat

Law Enforcement and Protection

Florida manatees were first protected through Florida State Law in 1893. Manatees are protected by the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act (§379.2431(2), Florida Statutes) and are federally protected by both the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act

FWC continues to protect and conserve manatees and their habitat through the Manatee Management Plan and programs operated in the Division of Habitat and Species Conservation (Imperiled Species Management Section and Aquatic Habitat Conservation & Restoration Section), the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, and the Division of Law Enforcement.

Save the Manatee

Donate $5 to get your manatee decal at Florida Tax Collector offices. Click here to view our CURRENT and past manatee decal selections.