News

By Stephanie Cohen, Public Relations Specialist

This year’s International Coastal Cleanup Day once again brought together volunteers from around the world to clean up beaches, rivers, and other waterways. Organized by the Ocean Conservancy, this global event played a critical role in combating marine pollution, which poses significant threats to manatees and other aquatic wildlife.

Manatees, often called “sea cows,” depend on clean, healthy habitats for survival. However, human activities have increased pollution in Florida’s waterways, with plastics, fishing gear, and other debris frequently entering manatee habitats. These gentle creatures face dangers such as entanglement in discarded fishing lines and ingesting harmful plastics, leading to injury or even death.

By participating in International Coastal Cleanup Day, volunteers made a crucial difference in protecting manatees from these threats. The collective effort to remove trash from shorelines and rivers helped reduce debris in the areas where manatees live, protecting not only the manatees but also the seagrass beds and ecosystems they rely on for food and shelter. 

We at Save the Manatee Club were proud to encourage participation in this year’s cleanup through our Manatee Coastal Cleanup Challenge. Through the removal of trash and increased awareness about the dangers of pollution, volunteers contributed to creating safer environments for manatees and other marine species.

Each piece of trash collected represented one less danger in our waterways. This year’s International Coastal Cleanup Day was another powerful step toward protecting Florida’s manatees and ensuring the health of their habitats for future generations.