INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A boat collision is the suspected cause of death for three adult male manatees that were found in the Indian River Lagoon, according to results from the necropsies.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission lab in St. Petersburg performed the necropsies, which noted all three bodies had impact injuries consistent with one another. The FWC believes the manatees might have been struck by the same boat.
The collision seems to have occurred in the area known as Gifford Cut and was discovered Tuesday morning. An employee with Indian River County Mosquito Control reported the bodies, which where located close to each other.
Boaters are encouraged to use caution when taking to the water over the Fourth of July weekend. The FWC has a hotline for reporting dead or distressed manatees. That number is (888) 404-3922.