Manatees suffer disproportionately from boat strikes, habitat loss, and cold stress, requiring comprehensive protection measures to ensure their survival and welfare.
Boat strike injuries cause some of the most graphic welfare harms documented for any marine mammal. Propeller wounds inflict deep lacerations that can sever flippers, penetrate body cavities, and cause prolonged suffering before death or rescue. Surviving animals often bear permanent disfigurement. Cold stress syndrome causes manatees to crowd into warm-water refuges where competition for space and food creates additional stress. Seagrass loss forces manatees to travel further for food, increasing boat strike risk and energy expenditure. Each of these threats is human-caused and reducible through targeted policy and behavior change.