 COLD WEATHER BLAMED FOR KILLING 15 MANATEES Palm Beach Post -- Thursday, February 1, 2001 By: Joe Brogan, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer The recent spate of prolonged cold weather killed 15 of the 43 manatees found dead in January, scientists from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported Wednesday. "Although these deaths are unfortunate, they are the predictable result of an extremely cold winter," said Tom Pitchford of the commission's Marine Mammal Pathobiology Laboratory in St. Petersburg. Lee and Collier counties each recorded three manatee deaths from exposure to the cold. There were two cold-related deaths each in Pinellas and Brevard counties. One death from exposure was reported in five other counties: Indian River, Clay, Duval, Manatee and Escambia. Manatees don't respond well to water colder than 68 degrees and prolonged exposure to lower temperatures can cause whiteness of skin around the face, flippers and tail, somewhat like frostbite in humans, he said. Animals undergoing cold stress can develop deep grooves on their undersides as they use up fat stores to keep warm, Pitchford said. The state moved eight cold-stressed manatees to Sea World and the Lowry Park Zoo for rehabilitation in January. Scientists have asked the public's help in identifying manatees suffering from the cold. If an animal is seen alone in a cold-water area for several days, it should be reported to the commission's law enforcement division at (800) DIAL-FMP or *FMP on a mobile phone. To learn more about the Florida manatee and other commission research programs, visit the Web site at www.floridamarine.org or call the education and information office at (727) 896-8626. Copyright (c) 2001, The Palm Beach Post |