As a member of the Florida Manatee Recovery Team, Defenders of Wildlife helped identify the steps necessary for manatee recovery in the wild, and we’re dedicated to seeing it through. We are working to uphold the laws that protect Florida manatees, including the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act.

Defenders is also working to expand protected areas for temperature-sensitive manatees. We support a new  rule proposed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to create a manatee refuge that includes all of Kings Bay in Crystal River, Florida, as well as restoration of natural springs to support manatees.

Visit our Species at Risk: Florida Manatee [1] page to learn more about what Defenders is doing to protect Florida manatees.