John,

Manatees are affectionately called sea cows not only for their round shape. They're grazers, snuffling along the seafloor and chomping on seagrass much like a cow grazes in a field.

But the fields of seagrass that manatees love are shrinking. And with little to eat and nowhere to go, manatees starve and die.

Thousands of manatees have died in Florida in the last few years. To save the manatees before it's too late, we need to devote more resources to saving them.1

Tell the Biden administration: Prioritize saving the manatees and upgrade their status to endangered.

One-fifth of the Florida manatees died in the last two years alone. Their population can't sustain such heavy losses.2

One of the leading challenges for manatees is starvation.

These adorable, gentle and beloved animals float and meander through lagoons off Florida's coast. Their pudgy snouts are sniffing for dinner, but the seagrass they love to eat is gone.

Families of manatees with rumbling bellies are starving to death in the winter.

With less energy to travel further and forage for fresh fields of seagrass, manatees bob in the water as they waste away.

We need to turn the tide in a better direction for manatees.

If we grant manatees stronger endangered species protections, the Fish and Wildlife Service will be able to put more effort into saving the manatees.

And with another potentially deadly winter fast approaching, we need to act fast to help manatees before they starve.

Add your name to help save the starving manatees.

The seagrass famine is a leading killer of manatees.

The nutritious green fronds that manatees feed on are withering away and dying without enough sunlight. And as the seagrass withers, manatees spend months emaciated until they can no longer go on with so little food.

Pollution in the water has created massive algal blooms which block the sun from reaching the sea floor, killing the seagrass and in turn leading to the death of hundreds of manatees.

Humans are causing this pollution, and we need to stop it. Sewage in the water from wastewater treatment plants and leaky septic tanks, plus fertilizer runoff, are creating a disgusting cocktail off the coast that is destroying the seagrass.3

Manatees, their habitat and their food sources all need better protections. If we can save the seagrass, we can help save the manatees from a deadly fate.

And now is a great opportunity to show your support for the manatees, John. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reviewing the Florida manatee's status under the Endangered Species Act right now. We need to demonstrate broad public support to make sure that the Fish and Wildlife Service does the right thing for the manatees.

Tell the Biden administration to give manatees the highest protection under the Endangered Species Act.

Thank you,

Ellen Montgomery

1. Max Chesnes, "Will Florida manatees be listed as an endangered species again? Feds to review data.," Tampa Bay Times, October 11, 2023.
2. Richard Luscombe, "Hope for Florida's dwindling manatees as review could restore protections," The Guardian, October 24, 2023.
3. Max Chesnes, "Will Florida manatees be listed as an endangered species again? Feds to review data.," Tampa Bay Times, October 11, 2023.