Officials: More than 80 starving manatees in rehab across US

By CURT ANDERSON
Associated Press

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — More than 80 rescued Florida manatees are in rehabilitation centers across the U.S. as wildlife officials try to stem starvation deaths by the marine mammals because of poor water quality. The latest numbers were released Wednesday by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of an unprecedented effort to feed and treat starving manatees. Officials say the state provided about $1.2 million for the treatment effort with the rest of the increasing costs borne by facilities such as the SeaWorld rescue program in Orlando. There are 13 such locations in Florida, Texas, Ohio, Puerto Rico and elsewhere.