Tampa Zoo Hospital Helping Manatees Survive Amongst Higher Death Rates

Various reports detail how fast Florida manatees have been dying with this year being on track to have the most deaths ever. One Florida hospital is rising to the occasion to help these sea creatures during these trying times.

ZooTampa is one of four manatee hospitals in the Sunshine State, known for caring for hurt, sick and orphaned manatees. Veterinary crews are usually called out to the field to help any manatees in trouble.

"Manatees are strong and resilient and can overcome some of the most severe injuries with the care that they receive at the Zoo’s manatee hospital. One of the most rewarding part of ZooTampa’s role in manatee conservation is when an animal is healed and is ready for release," according to their website. "It is an awe-inspiring and often emotional moment for staff and the community when a manatee is released back in to the wild."

Sources like ABC News and USA Today said cold snaps, water pollution and a lack of food supply are contributing to manatees' deaths. So far, 540 have died this year, which is three times the normal amount, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

"We lost seagrass due to too much pollution that caused algal blooms that killed the seagrass and there’s not enough for the manatees to eat," Patrick Rose, the president of Save The Manatee, told ABC Action News. He added that 80 manatees have been rescued so far this year.

While advocates work to get manatees back on the endangered animals list, experts are asking people to report sick or dead manatees as soon as they see it. They're also asking people to not feed manatees if they look underweight.

You can also donate to ZooTampa, which helps them continue their mission to help manatees-in-need.

Photo: Getty Images