Reports of at least 25 dead manatees in Lee County have been received by Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission officials.
A statement from the FWC says that they recently received an increase in reports of deceased manatees in the Orange River and surrounding areas of Fort Myers.
Between Feb. 13 and Feb. 18, approximately 25 manatee mortalities were reported in Lee County. Initial observations suggest cold stress may be a contributing factor; however, these data are preliminary and this event is an active and ongoing investigation.
Members of the public can help by reporting any injured, distressed, or deceased manatees to the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) so trained responders can assist.
Lee County's Manatee Park on State Road 80 was closed earlier on Thursday due to unforeseen circumstances and reopened later in the day. A spokesperson for the county directed questions about manatee deaths at the park to the FWC.
The warm water in the Manatee Park canal comes from the Florida Power and Light Power Plant across the street and is created as a byproduct of cooling off their equipment. The canal empties into the Orange River on the south end of the park.
There have been other reports around the state of wildlife affected by the recent cold weather in Florida.
WUSF Public Media reported Thursday that almost 800 cold-stunned sea turtles have washed ashore throughout the state so far this year.
This happens when the water gets too cold for them to tolerate, causing them to become inactive and float to the surface.
Allen Foley, a wildlife biologist with the FWC, said the water has to be unusually chilly for an extended time for this to happen.
"So when it drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, when it gets in the 40s, then it gets to be too cold for turtles. They can tolerate it for a short period of time, say a day or so, but after that they begin to succumb," Foley said.
Rescued turtles are usually kept in rehabilitation for about 24 to 48 hours before being released back into the wild.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you. WUSF reporter Ricardo Cuomo contributed to this report.
