Florida manatees suffer propeller and collision injuries from motorized boats as they occupy shallow warm-water habitats that overlap with recreational boating areas.
Propeller injuries cause severe lacerations, broken ribs, and internal injuries that are often survivable but cause prolonged suffering and permanent disability. Chronic pain from healed injuries may persist for years. Cold stress syndrome from power plant shutoffs creates additional welfare emergencies. The high proportion of scarred individuals indicates the cumulative burden of boat strike injury on the population.