Tell Secretary Haaland: Manatees need federal protection

Interior Secretary Haaland,

We, the undersigned, urge you to support restoring Endangered Species Act protections for Florida's manatees. Several thousands of Florida manatees have died in recent years, making it painfully clear that the 2017 decision to downlist the species was premature. Facing such threats as habitat degradation and loss, manatees experienced record losses in 2021 and 2022.

Restoring manatees' endangered status under the Endangered Species Act is critical to protecting the species from extinction. Listing manatees as endangered will lead to critical habitat protections for the species. It will also result in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service being directed to administer a recovery plan.

Please do all you can to save Florida's manatees.

Sincerely,