Florida manatees have had a rough go of it these past few years. Leaking septic systems, fertilizer runoff, and other pollution have choked off seagrass supplies, leaving manatees with less food to eat. In some cases they’re starving to death. Meanwhile, boat strikes and a burgeoning tourism industry are pushing them closer to the brink. In the newest episode of our Sounds Wild podcast, cohost Mike Stark travels to Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge to talk with the Center’s Elise Bennett about what the future holds for these gentle giants of the sea. Episode credits: 

Produced, edited and mixed by Mike Stark and Vanessa Barchfield

Artwork by Izzi Stein

Music by Up Rabbit Mountain

 

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit

conservation organization with more than 1.8 million members and online

activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild

places.