ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.— The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today denied endangered status for the Florida manatee and proposed to protect the Antillean manatee of Puerto Rico as endangered.

A 2022 petition submitted by Harvard Law School’s Animal Law & Policy Clinic on behalf of the Center for Biological Diversity, Save the Manatee Club, Miami Waterkeeper and Frank S. González Garcia sought to increase protections for Florida manatees from threatened to endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

“It’s great news that Puerto Rico’s Antillean manatees finally won the endangered status they need to get on the road to recovery, but I’m disappointed the Fish and Wildlife Service didn’t give Florida manatees the same protection,” said Ragan Whitlock, a Florida-based attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. “The agency’s denial completely failed to account for the ongoing die-off that is weakening the manatees’ chance at long-term survival. Thousands of manatees have starved to death in the last few years, and that should have been accounted for.”

The West Indian manatee, including both the Florida and Puerto Rico subspecies, was previously downlisted to threatened in 2017. At the time, despite warnings from conservation organizations, the Service failed to consider the possibility that an unusual mortality event was on the horizon in the Indian River Lagoon.

The Florida manatee has now endured more than three years of a devastating die-off event in which more than 2,000 manatees have starved to death. Despite having the mortality data, the Service failed to incorporate the threat into today’s finding.

“While we are disappointed by the Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision not to extend endangered status to all West Indian manatees, we are pleased that the agency acknowledged the endangered status of the Antillean manatee,” said Mary Hollingsworth of Harvard’s Animal Law & Policy Clinic. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to advocate for the conservation of all West Indian manatees.”

The Service previously issued a 90-day finding indicating the petition presented substantial information that increasing protections may be warranted. The agency found that as seagrass dwindles because of water pollution, Florida manatees may need greater protections.

Today’s finding dismissed the declining seagrasses across Florida despite recognition from the EPA and the Service that water-quality standards in the Indian River Lagoon in Florida, one of the most ecologically important estuaries for the species, aren’t being met.

“The failure of the Fish and Wildlife Service to take into account the best available scientific information regarding uncontrolled risks and threats to the manatees’ future survival when they unjustifiably downlisted manatees from endangered to threatened in 2017 left the manatee population unprotected from the ensuing devastating mass starvation due to large scale seagrass loss over the preceding decade,” said Patrick Rose, an aquatic biologist and executive director of Save the Manatee Club. “Sadly, it appears the Service has repeated its previous grievous mistake by once again failing to incorporate the best available scientific information as it relates to the well documented Unusual Mortality Event of thousands of Florida manatees from starvation. Thereby, denying the manatees the full strength of the Endangered Species Act at a time when current risks and threats to Florida manatees are rapidly accelerating due to water quality degradation and climate change.”

Water-quality degradation across the state has led to precipitous seagrass declines. Unchecked pollution — from wastewater treatment discharges, leaking septic systems, fertilizer runoff and other sources — is fueling the collapse of the Indian River Lagoon, leading to the unprecedented mortality event. Nearly 2,000 manatees died in just 2021 and 2022 combined. This two-year record represents more than 20% of all manatees in Florida.

State and federal agencies are also preparing for the loss of several warm-water havens that manatees frequent along Florida’s coast as warm-water outfalls are removed from several coastal power plants. The Service estimates that more than half of Florida’s manatees seek shelter from the cold at warm-water discharges from power plants. Natural warm-water sources are severely threatened by water-quality declines from excess nutrient pollution and groundwater pumping, leaving the manatees dependent on these man-made refugia. Many natural warm water sources are also impeded by manmade structures like the Rodman/Kirkpatrick dam on the Ocklawaha River.

“The failure to uplist Florida's manatee ignores the widespread population declines that manatees have suffered, as well as the severity of the ongoing threats to the survival of the species — particularly from seagrass loss due to water pollution,” said Dr. Rachel Silverstein, executive director and waterkeeper of Miami Waterkeeper. “This decision leaves the manatee without the stronger protections that it needs to persist. Miami Waterkeeper, alongside our partners, remains committed to advocating for the Florida manatee and to address the water pollution and other threats that are causing its decline.”

Meanwhile, the Antillean population of manatees also faces significant threats. Current estimates suggest as few as 250 manatees currently live in Puerto Rico. The population’s genetic diversity is also very low, which decreases manatees’ ability to adapt to changing conditions and rebound after unexpected mortality events such as hurricanes, boat strikes or disease. Today’s finding separates the Florida manatee from the Antillean manatee in Puerto Rico as listable entities. The Antillean manatee is now proposed for endangered status.

"This is one small, late step forward for Puerto Rico's Antillean manatees, but a wasted opportunity for the recovery and protection of Florida manatees,” said Frank S. González García, a Puerto Rican engineer concerned about the loss of natural resources. “Both subspecies face extremely high mortality rates and risk of extinction, vastly due to an ever-increasing plethora of diverse unfavorable human activities and conditions.”

The Endangered Species Act is a powerful tool for preventing extinction and helping vulnerable species recover. It’s 99% effective at preventing species under its protection from going extinct.