Closed Petition: Uplist Manatee Protections

Thank you for your support

This action alert, which closed on March 17, 2025, reached 162 advocates asking the USFWS to uplist the Florida Manatee from Threatened to Endangered under the Endangered Species Act. 

Advocate for Stronger Protections Now!

Florida’s iconic manatees are in crisis. Habitat destruction, loss of seagrass, water pollution are causing rising mortality rates. Yet, in 2017, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) downgraded the West Indian manatee from endangered to threatened, weakening the critical protections they desperately need. Since then, seagrass loss, water pollution, and boat strikes have contributed to an alarming decline, with over 1,100 manatees dying just in 2021.

Miami Waterkeeper has been working for their protection. In 2022, we joined forces with the Center for Biological Diversity, Save the Manatee Club, and others to petition USFWS to restore endangered status for manatees. 

Despite  our petition and the devastating losses of manatees, in January 2025, the USFWS decided to keep the Florida manatee’s status as "threatened." This agency to has not properly accounted for current threats this animal face such as seagrass depletion, water pollution, loss of habitat, climate change, and the unusual mortality events. These factors threaten manatees’ survival and demand stronger protections.