From boat strikes to seagrass loss, Florida manatees are facing existential threats this decade, however, conditions for the gentle sea cow are likely more favorable today than they’ve been in centuries, according to a report published in the journal Plos One.

While manatees are long considered to be one the state’s most adored inhabitants, research suggests they may have only arrived in great numbers starting in the late 1800s.

Listen to the study's co-authors explain why in today's special episode of Your Florida Daily.

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