A manatee found dead in Orange Beach, Alabama, this past weekend is suspected to have been killed by a boat strike. A resident reported the manatee to the Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s Manatee Sighting Network on Sunday, August 16. The animal was recovered by the Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network, with support from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, on the southern shore of Wolf Bay, south of the Intracoastal Waterway.

A necropsy at the DISL Marine Mammal Research Center revealed signs of acute trauma consistent with a watercraft strike.

“The animal had a series of deep lacerations on its back and right side, consistent with propeller trauma,” said Mackenzie Russell, ALMMSN Stranding Programs Manager. “Other signs of internal injury and blood loss point to a boat strike as the cause of death.”

Dr. Ruth Carmichael, Director of DISL/MSN and ALMMSN, noted that this incident may be connected to another manatee boat strike reported in the same area.

“A manatee injured by a boat was reported to the Manatee Sighting Network the day prior to this manatee being found dead. Both of these boat-struck manatees were involved in a mating herd of multiple manatees in the Intracoastal Waterway,” Carmichael said. “When mating, manatees form herds that have difficulty evading fast-moving vessels. Each manatee death is significant to the population, and the loss of an otherwise healthy reproductive animal is truly unfortunate.”

Boat-related manatee deaths are on the rise in Alabama. This case marks the sixth confirmed boat strike death in Alabama waters since 2015, before which no watercraft-related manatee deaths had been recorded in the state. Researchers have also documented a corresponding increase in manatee sightings and strandings in recent years.

DISL/MSN urges boaters to stay alert for manatees in local waters along the northern Gulf Coast, particularly in rivers and deltas where shallow water and abundant aquatic vegetation attract them.

• Stay at least 50 feet from manatees at all times and designate a spotter on your boat.
• Wear polarized sunglasses to help spot manatees beneath the surface.
• Report injured or distressed manatees immediately to the Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network: 1-877-WHALE-HELP (1-877-942-5343).
• Report all manatee sightings to DISL/MSN by phone at 1-866-493-5803 or online at manatee.disl.edu.

For more information on manatees in the region and tips for safely sharing local waterways with these protected marine mammals, visit manatee.disl.edu.