Four years ago, Florida saw a record number of manatee deaths. 

A record 1,100 of them died in 2021, and two years ago, wildlife officials began hand-feeding manatees lettuce to stave off starvation caused by depleted seagrass beds. 

At the time of the record deaths, the Indian River Lagoon was rated “F” by the Marine Resources Council due to poor water quality and lack of food for the manatees. 

In January, festivals will be put on in Crystal River and Orange City to celebrate the manatee, with people coming from all parts of the state to see the animals up close.

Have efforts to clean up the water and reduce the death rate in manatees succeeded? What more needs to be done for the manatee population, once considered an endangered species?

Guests:

• Holly Davis, District 5, Citrus County Commission
• Patrick Rose, Executive Director, Save the Manatee Club