Manatees On The Edge - Saving Charlie

While the US Fish and Wildlife Service is considering downgrading not only the Florida sub-species of manatee, but also the Antillean sub-species found in Central America, Belize is battling to stabilize its manatee population. Belize has a maximum count of just over 500 manatees in its coastal waters, with the total national population estimated at between 700 and 1,000, and a regional population estimated at 2,500. In 2015 alone, 40 manatees were reported and verified as dead,many of them in the Belize City / Belize River area, primarily from watercraft collisions linked to the increasing tourism boat traffic in the area. This is not good. This is not sustainable.

By the middle of February this year, another seven fatalities were reported, with Charlie making the eighth manatee stranding for 2016.

With the increasing number of boats in key manatee areas, the threat of more injured and / or orphaned manatees is also increasing, placing greater strain on the already full facilities at the Manatee Rehabilitation Centre.

Please consider donating today to the Saving Charlie Appeal, and join us in ensuring that manatees in rehabilitation in Belize have the facilities they need to heal and rejoin the wild population... Link: http://igg.me/at/9bx4qCOTJ38 Paypal: [email protected]