Cold snap kills 35 manatees in Florida in January

A report said 35 manatees across Florida have died as a result of cold stress syndrome in January.

The Bradenton Herald reported the deaths between January 1 and January. 26 were tallied in a preliminary report from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The commission said that was five times as many deaths compared to the same period in 2017. But it does not come close to the 151 manatees that died during a cold snap in January 2010.

Cold stress syndrome can occur when the marine mammals encounter water below 20 Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) for a prolonged period. Manatees experience hypothermia, their organs start to shut down and their skin begins to slough off.

Wildlife officials said another 10 manatees died statewide last month because of boat collisions.