About this database

Scientists break down the causes of manatee deaths into six different categories:
Watercraft Collisions: the crushing impact of the hull and/or slashing of the propellers.
Flood Gate or Canal lock: the animal is crushed and/or drowned in these structures.
Other Human-Related: caused by monofilament line, fishing nets, fishing hooks, litter, poaching or other human activities.
Perinatal: A dependent calf less than 150 cm (about 5 feet) that died around the time of birth and was not determined to have died from human-related causes.
Other Natural: natural circumstances such as cold stress, red tide, gastrointestinal disease, pneumonia and other diseases.
Undetermined: The manatee is too badly decomposed to determine cause of death, the necropsy finding is inclusive, or the manatee carcass was reported and verified, but not recovered.

source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Online producer: Janine Dorsey