Picture of a manatee with a long ribbon of seaweed in its moth hanging out the side along its body as it swims.

We rallied to save manatees once. Can we do it again?

Decades ago, extinction loomed for these gentle marine mammals in Florida. People helped them rebound—but recent die-offs are a worrying sign.

Ribbons of eelgrass trail from the mouth of a manatee in Ichetucknee Springs State Park. Polluted runoff from urban development and farms into many waterways has killed the aquatic grasses that are key to the animals’ survival. But the Ichetucknee River remains relatively pristine.
Photograph by Jason Gulley
This content is Subscriber-Exclusive
You must have a National Geographic subscription to explore this article.

Unlock this Nat Geo Premium content–and much more

Want to keep exploring? Unlock this exclusive story and more with Nat Geo Premium.
Already a subscriber?
Sign In

Read This Next

Why are these orcas killing sharks and removing their livers?
How to eat in 6 of the world’s most stunning places
Cliff art reveals the majesty of the Amazon’s aquatic realm

Go Further

Subscriber Exclusive Content

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet