Tell the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to expand proposed critical habitat for manatees!

Following on a lawsuit from Defenders, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is proposing to expand manatee habitat protections for the first time in over 50 years.

But there’s a problem: Their proposal doesn’t go far enough. These manatees have suffered huge losses in recent years. They’ve even faced more than 2,000 deaths in the last few years, many of which are attributed to an Unusual Mortality Event – an official declaration that manatees were in crisis -- this one due to loss of seagrass that led to mass starvation.

This is one of our best chances in decades to deliver enhanced protections for habitat that will allow them to survive. We must ensure we raise our voices on behalf of Florida manatees!

Send a message to FWS urging the agency to expand the proposed updates to critical manatee habitat!

Message

FWS-R4-ES-2024-0073-0001

Endangered and Threate...

Dear Ms. Colangelo,

Thank you for the Service's proposal to revise the critical habitat designation for Florida manatees. The current critical habitat as designated for Florida manatees is 50 years old and must be updated to use the best available science to provide for the survival and recovery of the species. The proposed rule is an essential step in that direction.

To fully reflect the best available science and comply with the Endangered Species Act, however, I urge the Service to expand its proposal to include additional areas. This expansion is necessary to protect essential warm water sources and foraging habitat that manatees depend upon.

I urge the Service to better address the industrial warm water sources that over half the Florida manatee population relies on during the colder winter months. Over the last several decades, manatees have become habituated to wintering at these artificial warm water discharges, and the number of manatees relying on power plant discharges has also increased during this time frame. Manatees depend upon these industrial discharges, which are essential to the species' survival and recovery, especially given dams and other impediments to manatees being able to access naturally flowing, reliable warm water sources.

I also urge the Service to reconsider its 30-kilometer radius to winter manatee aggregation areas. The best available science shows that a 50-kilometer radius more accurately covers manatee movements between essential warm water sites and proximate and necessary forage areas, allowing for connectivity between units. This expansion would include the Upper Mosquito Lagoon, which has been essential manatee foraging habitat during the ongoing unusual morality event.

Finally, the entirety of the Ocklawaha River into the St. Johns River should be included as critical habitat, connecting Units FL-11 and FL-12. This river is a major travel corridor for the species and provides access to several natural warm-water sites and foraging areas.

Again, I thank the Service for taking this important step to update protections for Florida manatee habitat. I urge you to expand the proposed rule in the final designation.

Sincerely,
{user_data~First Name} {user_data~Last Name}

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