#GOODNEWS: In response to a formal petition by the Center and our allies, manatees are moving toward restored Endangered Species Act safeguards. The USFWS announced on Wednesday that reclassifying the West Indian manatee from threatened to endangered may be warranted. Today’s decision is the first procedural step toward providing much greater protections for the imperiled species. Since manatee protections were prematurely reduced in 2017, the species has declined dramatically — nearly 2,000 manatees perished between 2021 and 2022. Pollution and toxic algae are poisoning the water manatees live in and destroying the seagrass they depend on for survival. Boat strikes also kill or wound hundreds of these gentle creatures each year. It's clear manatees are in serious distress and need a lifeline from the Act. Read the full press release at the link in our bio. #manatees #floridamanatees #endangeredspecies