TAMPA, Fla. -- Polluted wastewater released into Tampa Bay at Piney Point in the last two weeks is only one threat to Florida manatees, as an increase in manatee deaths is under investigation on the state's Atlantic coast.

The State of Florida has already documented 613 manatee deaths this year, and could see a record number of fatalities in 2021.

Now, a possible red tide from the Piney Point breach could release toxins that would kill manatees and seagrass, which they eat.

Liz Neville, senior Gulf Coast representative at Defenders of Wildlife, cited Florida's systemic mismanagement of environment, lands and waterways as a culprit.

"The Piney Point disaster, as well as the ongoing manatee mortality event - which is linked to water pollution - really show that we have an urgent need to protect and restore our lands and waters, and natural habitat," Neville contended.

Last week, the state Senate approved a $3 million addition to the state budget to help clean up the area.

Neville hopes lawmakers will prioritize manatees by enforcing and enhancing protections in the Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act, both of which saw some aspects rolled back in recent years.

Elizabeth Fleming, senior Florida representative at Defenders of Wildlife, said the greatest long-term threats to manatees are the loss of habitat and warm-water areas as a result of land development.

"What we've seen this year is the double whammy of there being cold weather, so manatees going to these warm-water areas, many of them the artificial power plant sources of water," Fleming outlined. "And then, when they needed to go and eat something nearby, their food source was gone."

Conservation groups are working on restoration projects, such as the Great Florida Riverway, to give wildlife like manatees access to springs previously blocked by the dam and its impacts.

Fleming added her organization wants the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to work with Florida on recovery efforts, to ensure the state doesn't backtrack on progress to save the species.

"The manatee was downlisted in 2017 from an endangered species to a threatened species, Fleming recounted. "And that indicated good progress, but it does not mean that this animal is safe from ongoing and future threats, some of which we see are getting worse."

This time of year, boaters are also being encouraged to pay close attention to avoid hitting manatees swimming from their winter habitats. Watercraft accidents account for more than 100 manatee deaths per year.

Conservation groups say the Hawaiian Islands are on the leading edge of the fight to preserve endangered birds, since climate change and habitat loss are making it difficult for many indigenous species to survive.

A coalition of conservation organizations will hold the annual Manu o Ku Festival this weekend to celebrate the islands' myriad species.

John Kantor, a wildlife biologist with the National Wildlife Federation, said the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act has helped preserve many exotic Hawaiian species.

"The federal Endangered Species Act, and the funds that are raised for migratory birds under the various programs there, are funding the frontline researchers and conservationists and folks that are trying to solve this multitude of issues that threaten Hawaii's birds," he explained.

The festival, sponsored by the Conservation Council for Hawaii and the National Wildlife Federation, will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Coronation Pavilion of the Iolani Palace in Honolulu.

Kanter said the Migratory Bird Treaty was created in 1918 and updated in 1936. In conjunction with Canada, Mexico and other nations, it limits the taking of certain species for commercial products or as game. He cited the wood duck as one example, which is now plentiful but was almost wiped out a century ago.

"That species was almost extinct," he said, "and it is a hunted species - but there's strict regulations that are developed between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the states every year, based on the number of birds, that then are applied to the following season."

This year's festival celebrates the manu o ku, or white fairy tern, as an ambassador for other native Hawaiian species. Organizers have said conservation groups, educators and others are invited to share games and activities for people of all ages in learning about the manu o ku.

An environmental group is suing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the Arkansas mudalia snail under the Endangered Species Act.

In Arkansas and Missouri, including along the North Fork River, mudalia are critically endangered freshwater snails.

Trisha Sharma, legal fellow at the Center for Biological Diversity, emphasized the need to save the snail from vanishing entirely. She said freshwater mollusks are the most endangered group of animals in North America, and snails are the most endangered mollusks.

"We've already lost more than 70 species of freshwater snails," Sharma pointed out. "The Endangered Species Act has a very high success rate. So if we can get it listed and protected under the ESA, it's highly likely that the species will survive and be able to continue playing its important role in the ecosystems where it's found."

Sharma noted areas where the Arkansas mudalia can be found have decreased by 90% and the main threat to the species is habitat degradation, primarily from dam construction and operation along the rivers.

Sharma emphasized mudalia is also threatened by habitat loss from grazing, logging and mining. She added climate change is also expected to threaten the species.

"Part of what can make a species more resilient to climate impacts is its ability to disperse as its habitat becomes unsuitable, and to essentially relocate to areas where it can survive," Sharma explained. "But snails have a pretty narrow set of habitat requirements and very limited dispersal capabilities."

Sharma said freshwater snails play a crucial role in managing nutrients by consuming detritus and plant matter, preventing their decay and subsequent disruption of water quality, and snails are vital for food webs, converting unusable food sources into usable ones for birds and turtles.


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Today is Earth Day, and one initiative in southern Arizona is helping build public gardens providing beneficial habitat for pollinators, from Monarch butterflies to bees and bats.

Emily Bishton, founder and coordinator of the Arivaca Pollinator Pathway Project, said the human population depends on these animals and insects, as many of our foods and plant-based products require pollination. But human activity and climate change have put pollinators in jeopardy and Bishton wants to increase awareness of how crucial they are.

"The best chance you have for attracting and nurturing pollinators is with the species that they've co-evolved with," Bishton explained. "They will instinctively know that is food for them, or a place they can lay their eggs. They also are more likely to be able to put up with the way our climate is now and the way it is changing."

Bishton pointed out one focus of the project is to get Arizonans to plant more native species like milkweed, which is especially critical for Monarch butterflies. She would also like people to reconsider the use of pesticides since they do kill pests but also other beneficial insects. She suggested contacting a local county extension service or master-gardener program for alternative methods.

Madian Romero, technical assistant supervisor for the Caviglia-Arivaca Library, has been responsible for getting teenagers in the area to participate in the Arivaca Pollinator Pathway Project. They not only help build garden spaces around town but grow their knowledge behind the importance of pollinators, as well as community building.

"The teens, they've come up with ideas on how to fundraise for the projects," Romero emphasized. "Each business that agrees to have a garden, it can be free."

Romero added the project has also been a character-building exercise for the young people of Arivaca, and hopes it is an experience they will cherish.