Are Florida's manatees no longer endangered?
Florida鈥檚 sea cow may soon lose its federal status as an endangered species.
Noting a rebound in the West Indian manatee's population, the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposed Thursday to change the listing of the marine mammal from 鈥渆ndangered鈥� to 鈥渢hreatened鈥� under the Endangered Species Act.
After the Service , the public will have 90 days to comment on the manatees' conservation status, after which the Service will make its decision.
鈥淲hile there is still more work to be done to fully recover manatee populations, their numbers are climbing and the threats to the species鈥� survival are being reduced," 聽said Michael Bean, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks at the Department of the Interior in the agency鈥檚 . "Today鈥檚 proposal is a positive step that recognizes the progress citizens, conservation groups, the State of Florida, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and our own Service employees have made working together.鈥�
The proposal comes after years of growth in the manatee population, which is based mainly in the Caribbean and along the coastlines of Florida and Puerto Rico in the US. The West Indian manatee has been legally protected in the state since the late 19th century to prevent for their fat, bones, and skin, and has been listed as endangered since the Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973. But the manatees' population continued to decline, thanks to changing environmental conditions and pervasive threats posed by boats and human divers. By 1991, only 1,267 of the mammals were estimated to live in Florida.
Since the 1990s, though, conservation efforts and habitat protections have led to an increase in the creatures鈥� population and a reevaluation of their endangered status. The size of the West Indian manatee community in Florida is now estimated at over 6,300, nearly a fourfold increase over the past quarter century. The species鈥� total population is now estimated at 13,000.
This resurgence in population has led the government to consider changing the manatees鈥� long-held status as endangered, which defines as 鈥渋n danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range鈥�, to threatened, or 鈥渓ikely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.鈥�
This reclassification would not change the West Indian manatee鈥檚 current federal protections, but some worry that, despite recent population growth, the manatees' situation is not yet stable enough to move it off the endangered species list.
While the number of manatees estimated to swim off of Florida鈥檚 coast today is the highest in decades, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission still tracks in the state every year. The Commission confirmed 830 manatee deaths in 2013, the most recorded since it began reporting the figures in 1974.
This number could be a consequence of the species鈥� growth in recent years, but it is still a large percentage of the overall population and suggests that threats to the manatees鈥� lives are not yet resolved.
The Fish and Wildlife Service鈥檚 final decision on the designation will come later this year. Until then, it plans to continue focusing on increasing the sea cows鈥� numbers and maintaining safety in their habitat.
鈥淭he manatee鈥檚 recovery is incredibly encouraging and a ,鈥� said Cindy Dohner, the Service鈥檚 Southeast Regional Director. 鈥淭oday鈥檚 proposal is not only about recognizing this progress, but it鈥檚 also about recommitting ourselves to ensuring the manatee鈥檚 long-term success and recovery.鈥�
