83 Manatee Deaths Most for State Since ’99

The death of a manatee brought the number of the endangered animals killed by boats in the state this year to 83, the highest recorded in Florida since 1999.

The manatee died Thursday at Sea World, where it was taken after being struck by a boat, said officials at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

“It’s disappointing that state and federal government [officials] haven’t adequately addressed manatee threats,” said Sandra Clinger, a coordinator for the Save the Manatee Club.

But Jim Kalvin, founder of the boating advocate group Standing Watch, attributed the increase in deaths to the growing manatee population. The state’s annual aerial survey found 3,276 manatees in 2001, up from 2,639 in 1996.