TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — As the city of Tampa prepares to celebrate Gasparilla, preparations are underway to make sure the event is safe for all, including our local gentle manatees.
At about 11:30 a.m. Saturday, pirates will invade Tampa as part of the Gasparilla celebration, with a flotilla going through the Hillsborough Bay toward the Tampa Convention Center.
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However, to make sure the boats don’t hurt any manatees, manatee watchers from both sea and air keep an eye out for the aquatic mammals.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, only 4% of manatees avoid getting injured by watercraft. In fact, it’s said to be “exceedingly rare” for an adult manatee to not be hit multiple times.
About 20 to 25% of manatee deaths are a result of collision with watercraft.
