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The news for Florida manatees started off strong last year, as wildlife officials announced that their survey found a record number of manatees in our waters. In fact, they had found 500 more than ever before, but 2009 ended on a sour note when 429 manatees were estimated to have died.
Much like another endangered species, the Florida panther, 2009 was a record year for manatees dying at the hands of careless motor vehicles drives, as 97 were killed by boat strikes. Another 114 newborns died in infancy, and 56 died due to cold stress.
Only two of those boat related deaths occurred in Miami-Dade, but Southwest Florida boaters are responsible for 49 of the fatalities, more than half.
[Bradenton.com: Florida manatees endure deadliest year on record]
