Four manatees have been found dead in the Wakulla River since June, prompting a local business owner to call on boaters to slow down and stay alert on the water.
WATCH FULL REPORT BELOW:
Wakulla River manatee deaths prompt calls for boaters to slow down and stay vigilant
Robert Baker, third-generation owner of TNT Hideaway, said he has witnessed all 4 deaths firsthand including one this past weekend. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed 2 of the 4 were caused by watercraft collisions.
Baker said not all boaters are to blame, but the deaths serve as an important reminder to stay vigilant.
“A lot of people seem to be aware there’s manatees in the river, but other people are driving like you know, ‘hey, it’s wide open water, and I’m going to run as fast as I want,’ you know. So if they would just be slow down a little bit more and have somebody looking out for manatees as they’re driving downriver, would would I would think greatly reduce the impacts of boat strikes.”
Baker said most of the manatee strikes are happening downriver, where the slow speed zone ends.
“Where we’re seeing most of the manatee strikes are downriver, where the slow speed zone ends, and they’ll get up on plane and run fast, which they should really just get up on plane and run at a at a safe operating speed, much like you would on the highway.”
Baker also urged boaters to stay within the channel, which gives manatees space to move out of the way safely.
According to the FWC, 434 manatees have died across Florida this year. While most deaths have not been identified, 78 are confirmed to be related to watercraft collisions. Other causes include perinatal, cold stress, natural, flood gate/canal lock, and other human-related factors. As of August 7, 2026 FWC report, Wakulla County had 5 total manatee deaths; this does not include the manatee that was brought in this weekend.
If you see a distressed, injured, entangled, or dead manatee, the FWC asks that you call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website.
Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.