Lettuce again on the Florida menu to slow manatee starvation

By CURT ANDERSON
Associated Press

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Lettuce will be on the menu again this year for Florida manatees in an effort to slow the starvation deaths of the beloved marine mammals. Wildlife officials said Wednesday that plans are in place to resume an experimental feeding program at a warm-water power plant near Cape Canaveral. Last year, about 202,000 pounds of lettuce was fed to manatees that gather there by the thousands when the weather turns colder. The greater goal is to reduce pollution from agriculture, urban and sewage sources that has triggered a die-off in the seagrass beds that manatees depend on for food. Since 2009, state estimates show that 75% of the seagrass has been lost in key areas along Florida’s east coast.