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Florida Matters: Will Manatees Be Taken Off the Endangered List?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reviewing the endangered status of manatees.  Tonight on Florida Matters on WUSF 89.7 FM at 6:30 p.m ., a panel of experts discusses the petition from the Pacific Legal Foundation to take the manatee off the endangered species list.  The Florida Manatee and Aquatic Center habitat at Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa has cared for more than 300 sick and injured manatees, including one they have named "Buoyance," for the injury to her lung that makes her float to the top of the water.  Virginia Edmonds, who has been working at the manatee hospital for about 18 years, explained how they are treating "Buoyance," who has been at the zoo for about a month.

Endangered species are ones that are in danger of extinction now, while threatened species are ones that likely will be on the verge of extinction in the future.

Manatees have been on the federal endangered species list since it was first published in 1967.

Officials say a status change will not mean a change in federal protections for the animal.

Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
Lottie Watts / WUSF
/
The Florida Channel

This manatee is named "Buoyance," for the injury to her lung that makes her float to the top of the water.
Lottie Watts / WUSF
/
The Florida Channel
This manatee is named "Buoyance," for the injury to her lung that makes her float to the top of the water.

The Florida Manatee and Aquatic Center habitat at Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa has cared for more than 300 sick and injured manatees.
Lottie Watts / WUSF
/
The Florida Channel
The Florida Manatee and Aquatic Center habitat at Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa has cared for more than 300 sick and injured manatees.

Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
Lottie Watts / WUSF
/
The Florida Channel

Copyright 2014 WUSF Public Media - WUSF 89.7

Lottie Watts covers health and health policy for Health News Florida, now a part of WUSF Public Media. She also produces Florida Matters, WUSF's weekly public affairs show.
Lottie Watts
Lottie Watts is our Florida Mattersproducer, and she also covers health and health policy for Health News Florida.