Friend,

Nearly 820 manatees have died this year -- and the count's still growing.[1]

These happy herbivores used to spend their days eating seagrass and frequenting cool, coastal waters. But lately, our manatees barely have the energy for survival: Water pollution has destroyed much of their main food source.[2]

All hope's not lost. The House just voted to spend $40 billion to significantly curb water pollution -- a killer culprit in alarming manatee die-offs.[3] But if it's going to pass in the Senate, our senators need to hear from you.

Tell Sens. John Hickenlooper and Michael F. Bennet to save manatees by supporting clean water investments.
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When coastal waters get too cold for manatees, these gentle giants huddle together for warmth. Lately, breaking from the huddle to forage for food can be a lost cause: Ninety percent of all seagrass in Indian River Lagoon -- a manatee favorite -- has been destroyed by pollution.[4]

And it's taking a toll. Right now, we're on pace to lose a third of Florida's manatees by the end of the year.[5]

By next winter, the huddles will have thinned and the remaining manatees will be stuck with a stark decision: stay warm and starve, or forage and freeze.

Friend, if your senators hear from you, you can play a part in saving manatees. Call on Sens. Hickenlooper and Bennet to fund clean water infrastructure.
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When pollution kills seagrass, it takes manatees down too.

If we address this pollution, we can keep manatees from starving. It's a tested-and-true system: When a Florida town reduced fertilizer pollution and updated wastewater treatment 30 years ago, the seagrass began to flourish.[6]

Decades later, our representatives in the House have just voted to fund similar pollution prevention measures to the likes of $40 billion.

Now, if we want to see manatees survive another generation, we'll need the Senate to do the same. Help save the manatees by calling on our senators to do the right thing.
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Thank you,

Rex Wilmouth
Senior Program Director

1. Richard Nunn, "Florida wildlife officials see manatees dying at an alarming rate," News4Jax, June 30, 2021.
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2. Ed Browne, "Hundreds of Florida Manatees Dying Because of Starvation, Human Pollution," Newsweek, May 20, 2021.
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3. "Statement: House passes landmark water and transportation bill to restore and enhance U.S. infrastructure," Environment America, July 1, 2021.
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4. Ed Browne, "Hundreds of Florida Manatees Dying Because of Starvation, Human Pollution," Newsweek, May 20, 2021.
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5. Chad Gillis, "Florida manatees are dying in droves this year. Experts blame poor water quality, starvation," USA Today, February 27, 2021.
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6. Ed Browne, "Hundreds of Florida Manatees Dying Because of Starvation, Human Pollution," Newsweek, May 20, 2021.
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