The Florida Department of Environmental Protection and an environmental group are battling in a federal lawsuit about whether the state violated the Endangered Species Act because of sewage discharges into part of the Indian River Lagoon that is a key area for manatees.

Manatee Appreciation Day is soon upon us and what better way to celebrate than to educate yourself about these adorable sea cows.

Supporters of bolstering protections for manatees notified the federal government Thursday that they are preparing to file a lawsuit over delays in determining whether manatees should be classified as an endangered species.

They’re one of Florida’s most iconic native species, and starting later this month, you’ll be able to spread awareness of threatened manatees just by sending a letter.

A successful day for park workers and volunteers as they carried out five rescued manatees, one by one, into the water.

You’re not the only one who is cold. Manatees seeking a warm spot flocked to Volusia County’s Blue Spring State Park in record numbers Sunday.

In a breeding herd, many male manatees will crowd around and compete for a single female.

Manatees typically migrate to inland waterways in Florida during winter to get away from the cold, meaning Florida residents have a few months to go out and spot them in the wild.

Manatee conditions are starting to show some signs of improvement in the Indian River Lagoon, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

A midair scare forced a flight from Orlando to divert to Jacksonville after an argument on board.

With conditions improving in the Mosquito Lagoon, a feeding program designed to supplement manatee food sources in Brevard County will not take place this winter.

Federal wildlife officials will consider whether manatees should be classified as an endangered species, pointing to issues such as a loss of seagrass that serves as a key food source for the animals.

Eight manatees earned their frequent flier miles after being flown from Ohio to facilities in Florida in preparation for their release back into the wild.

Wild Florida said it has suspended all of its airboat rides after two boats collided at the animal park.

FDLE has issued an AMBER alert for a Volusia County teen police fear may have been abducted.

A manatee in the care of Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium died from an injury caused during a sexual encounter with his brother, according to the USDA.

Several conservation groups have announced that they’re planning to sue federal wildlife officials, citing a failure to protect the West Indian manatee following record death rates in recent years.

Brevard Zoo officials said that they’re now able to begin construction of the zoo’s new manatee rehabilitation facility as researchers tackle an unusual mortality rate for the animals.

The effort to feed thousands of pounds of lettuce to starving manatees in Florida manatees has officially ended for the winter season, as deaths of the marine mammals appear to be slowing despite the long-term threat of pollution to their main food source, seagrass.

The Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Partnership, a multi-agency collaboration, announced that it successfully released 12 manatees back to their natural habitat in one day.

Two small manatees were rescued Monday on the West Coast of Florida, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The signs show a toilet draining directly into the lagoon, with a dead manatee, a sea turtle and a few fish.

Florida manatees are showing signs of improvement in the third winter of what state wildlife officials are calling an unusual mortality event.

A new record has been set for manatees gathering in Blue Spring State Park

Two state leaders are energizing efforts to clean the waters of the Indian River Lagoon in an attempt to save dying marine life.

Manatee deaths dropped in 2022 from a record high the year before, but Florida wildlife officials said Wednesday that chronic starvation caused by water pollution remains a major concern.

Florida wildlife officials say manatees are showing good signs at the temporary feeding station in Brevard County so far.

More than six dozen threatened manatees are currently in rehabilitation centers in Florida and elsewhere amid a chronic starvation problem caused by water pollution.

2021 marked a record-breaking year for manatee deaths, the majority of which were in the Indian River Lagoon.

While 2022 did not prove to be as deadly for Florida’s manatees as 2021, researchers said the animals are still in trouble, especially in the Indian River Lagoon.

The St. Johns River’s temperature is still in the 50s, and that means manatees continue to pile into nearby Blue Spring State Park in Volusia County.

The drop in temperatures means colder water, and more manatees coming to Blue Spring State Park seeking a warm spot.

Three manatees who spent months in the care of specialists at SeaWorld Orlando after being rescued are back home in the Florida Keys.

State wildlife officials Wednesday approved a seasonal no-entry zone in an area of Brevard County waters where manatees gather, while preparing for a second winter of feeding the sea cows to try to prevent deaths.

Lettuce will be on the menu again this year for Florida manatees in an effort to slow the starvation deaths of the beloved marine mammals.

Hoping to protect manatees as they congregate this winter, state wildlife officials issued an emergency rule that will temporarily prevent boating in an area of the Indian River Lagoon near a Florida Power & Light power plant.

After 18 months of rehabilitation at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens, three orphaned manatees are ready to return to their native Central Florida waters.

Animal care workers helped transport a manatee back to the wild on Thursday after six months of rehabilitation at SeaWorld Orlando.

A manatee from Volusia County is getting help after being found injured in the Intercoastal Waterway.

In the wake of the worst year for manatee deaths on record, Florida wildlife officials last week found yet another potential killer of the threatened species in the Indian River Lagoon — red tide.

U.S. wildlife officials have agreed to revise the critical habitat designation for Florida manatees, which have been dying in record numbers because water pollution is killing a main food source.

Memorial Day weekend is considered by some to be the unofficial start of summer and, by no coincidence, a great time to get back in the water. Unfortunately, according to conservationists and wildlife officials, manatees have similar plans.

Some 537 manatees have died in 2022 so far, the majority of which were found in the Indian River Lagoon.

The experimental feeding designed to help starving manatees in the Indian River Lagoon came to an end Friday.

March 31 is known as Manatee Appreciation Day.

SeaWorld is doubling the size of its Manatee Critical Care space.

Officials have now fed more than 55 tons of lettuce to starving Florida manatees as part of an experimental program to help the animals since their natural food is being destroyed by water pollution.

More than 80 rescued Florida manatees are in rehabilitation centers across the U.S. as wildlife officials try to stem starvation deaths by the marine mammals because of poor water quality.

As bad as this year’s manatee deaths seem, for the moment, at least, last year was way worse.

The Volusia County Manatee Watch program teaches volunteers what to look for when observing manatees.

SeaWorld is ramping up its efforts to help Florida's manatees.

The unprecedented human effort to feed starving Florida manatees has so far provided the lovable marine mammals with more than 25 tons of lettuce.

Crews have their hands full trying to save manatees as the cold weather drops and food problems in the Indian River Lagoon continue.

Central Florida wildlife researchers are asking for your help keeping an eye on manatees.

The SeaWorld theme park in Orlando is opening new pools to care for Florida manatees that are dying because of starvation due to poor water quality in their normal habitat.

FWC workers provided an update on the manatee Unusual Mortality Event Wednesday.

Environmental groups say Florida’s manatees are dying at a record rate and need federal protection for their seaside habitat.

Officials said they observed manatees showing up at the temporary field response station in Cocoa Thursday, where a supplemental feeding trial is set up to give the manatees lettuce.

The Orange City Blue Spring Manatee Festival returns to Orange City this weekend, and the weather is expected to be perfect for it.

Wildlife officials in Volusia County said Friday they are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to participate in upcoming Manatee Watch events in February.

An unprecedented, experimental attempt to feed manatees facing starvation in Florida has started slowly but wildlife officials expressed optimism it will work as cold weather drives the marine mammals toward warmer waters.

Florida reported 1,101 manatee deaths in 2021, marking the highest number of deaths in a single year.

Three conservation groups have filed formal notice of their intent to sue the Environmental Protection Agency if it doesn't take steps to protect manatees from water pollution in Florida.

More than 1,050 manatees have died in Florida so far this year, a little less than double the number killed in 2020.

Manatees are starving and dying in record numbers in Florida, particular in the Indian River Lagoon where there is a massive loss of seagrass.

After a record year of manatee deaths in Florida, U.S. wildlife agencies approved experimental feeding on Monday.

The record number of manatee deaths has started impacting businesses that rely on manatee sightings.

Manatees are starving to death because algae blooms and contaminants are killing the seagrass the beloved sea mammals eat.

Nearly 960 manatees have died this year in Florida, according to the latest data from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

A record-shattering number of sea cows have died this year.

Wildlife officers say hundreds of manatees have died across Florida already this year and most of those deaths happened in the Indian River Lagoon.

Though it’s only July, the total number of Florida manatee deaths in 2021 has already reached a higher total than it did in all of 2020, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

A record-breaking number of manatees are dying in the Indian River Lagoon in Central Florida.

Mandy and her calf Manilow were released Wednesday morning near Blue Spring.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission data showed as of last week, 819 manatees have died throughout the state.

Florida is home to roughly 6,800 manatees, but more than 750 have died this year alone.

Sea cows in Florida are dying at an alarming rate.

More manatees have died in 2021 than all of last year and the majority of the deaths are in Central Florida.

MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. – Scientists say Florida’s most enamored marine mammal is starving to death, News 6 partner Florida Today reports. That includes 169 dead manatees (42%) in Brevard County. Because of COVID-19 rules, a state lab tasked with examining dead manatees has only been able to salvage and examine 30% of the remains. “This is not the usual type of animal we see.”Half of the dead manatees are adults, she said. To report a sick, injured or dead manatee, contact the FWC hotline at 888-404-3922, and press *7 to speak with an operator.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating a huge spike in manatee deaths across the state while biologists and other experts are left wondering why so many of the threatened species are dying. In the first six weeks of 2021, there were 317 manatee deaths across the state, according to the FWC. That’s almost half of all deaths reported in Florida for all of last year when 638 manatees died. Boaters are urged to call FWC if they see a manatee in distress so they can come out and help. You can also donate to the Save the Manatee Club for research and find more ways to help at their website, www.savethemanatee.org.

They are as synonymous with Florida as flamingo’s Manatees or as they are sometimes called, sea cows, love the tropical weather and warm waters of Florida. Powell shares his knowledge of these gentle giants and tells us how the pandemic has likely had an adverse affect on them. By some estimates there are about 13,000 manatees on the planet with about half of those living in the southeastern U.S. While boating is good for those who are feeling cabin fever during the pandemic, it has not been good for manatees. “We had seen it in Blue Spring, we had actually seen it up in north Florida and I think even Georgia,” Powell said.

ORANGE CITY, Fla. – A manatee that a year ago was seen swimming around Blue Spring State Park with a bicycle tire cinching its waist has returned to the crystal clear waters free of the trap. Officials from Save the Manatee Club said Friday they don’t know how the manatee managed to shake the tire lose but they mentioned that Wheelie, as the manatee was called by the public, was struck by a boat’s propeller in February and that strike cut and weakened the tire. Also called Schwinn by researchers, the manatee now has deep scars around its midsection where the bike tire was once entangled. Wheelie the manatee now has scars from where a bike tire was stuck around its waist. Save the Manatee Club manatee research associate Cora Berchem first spotted Wheelie on Wednesday on an above-water livestreaming webcam.

The Save the Manatee Club, in partnership with Blue Spring State Park, Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute and Volusia County, is in need of volunteers to be manatee observers. The volunteer program operates from March to November at Blue Spring State Park because that is “swim season” when park visitors may come in contact with manatees. The volunteers are there to “help prevent manatee harassment and to educate visitors about proper behavior around manatees. Two mandatory training sessions are scheduled at Blue Spring State Park on March 5 and March 14 at 10 a.m. for two to three hours. To sign up, email cberchem@savethemanatee.org with your preferred training date and whether you’d like a kayak training session.