SEA WORLD BUSCH GARDENS
DEATH of MANATEES

Human-related causes.

a. Boat-related accidents.

Due to their dark color and because they are slow swimmers, manatees are difficult to see in the water. Many manatees are injured and killed by propellers and hulls of speed boats. Collisions with boats and barges is the largest human-related factor causing manatee deaths in Florida.

b. Flood gates.

As manatees swim upstream, they encounter flood gates and navigation locks. When flood gates are left partially open, manatees sometimes swim through them. They may become trapped in the water current from the upstream side and drown. The remote controlled flood gates have also crushed manatees.

c. Navigation locks.

Some manatees have been crushed by navigation locks.

d. Poaching and vandalism.

In spite of the fact that manatees are legally protected, poachers and vandals are responsible for manatee deaths. In some areas manatees are hunted for food. Others are victims of harassment.

e. Accidental entanglement.

Florida manatees have been found with fishing lines or crab trap lines wrapped around them. These materials can wrap tightly around the manatee's flippers, cutting off the circulation and causing serious infections.