Manatees dying in record numbers in Florida as food source dries up

More manatees have died already in the first half of this year in the US state of Florida than in any other year on record, according to authorities.

At least 841 of the animals have died since the start of 2021, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported. That breaks the previous record of 830 that died during the whole of 2013.

Many of the deaths have been attributed to starvation. The seagrass beds manatees rely on for food have been dying off due to harmful algal blooms caused by water pollution, including fertiliser runoff and sewage leaks.