Manatee Deaths Spike; Boaters Urged to Slow Down

February delivered a wake‑up call on Belize’s waters. Manatee strandings jumped sharply, and conservation officers say it’s not bad luck; it’s us. With more boats speeding through shallow, high‑traffic zones, the gentle mammals don’t stand a chance. Three adults in Belize City and Hopkins were struck and killed by boats, and calves surfaced dead in other coastal communities, raising even more alarms. Wildlife officers say the pattern is clear: these deaths didn’t have to happen. Manatees rest and feed just below the surface, exactly where fast‑moving boats cut through, and with tourism on the rise, the danger only grows. That’s why the Fisheries Department is ramping up patrols, pushing boaters to slow down, and urging anyone who spots an injured or dead manatee to report it immediately, before the next preventable loss hits Belize’s shores.

 

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