Manatees are STARVING to death in record numbers in Florida. Just last year, 1,110 of these gentle creatures were found dead. The cause? Seagrass die-off due, in part, to cruise ship pollution from the likes of cruise giant Carnival Corp. Help us fight Big Cruise corporations to protect manatees and our planet: Make your contribution of $15 or more today!
Manatees rely on seagrass as their main source of food. But when cruise ships dump polluted wastewater and churn up sand and contaminants when sailing close to our coasts, they are contributing to the destruction of this vital manatee food source.
Unless we stop Big Cruise corporations from wreaking havoc on manatee habitats, things will only get worse. We could see an even greater number of manatees die this year as they continue to waste away from starvation. We must act quickly to protect the remaining manatees -- will you help?
Big Cruise corporations are recklessly polluting manatee habitats, contributing to the starvation and death of these gentle creatures. Take a stand for manatees and our planet with your $15 contribution today.
The worst part is that these cruise companies know they are doing an incredible amount of harm to habitats and threatened species, but they continue to do nothing about it. Carnival Corp. has even been fined TWICE in the last 5 years for illegal wastewater dumping, clearly showing its irresponsible attitude towards the waters they travel in.
Big Cruise corporations only care about the profits they are making, regardless of the DISASTROUS impacts they have on wildlife like manatees and their ecosystems. You see, the dumping of polluted wastewater is causing algal blooms that block sunlight to seagrass. Without sunlight, seagrass cannot grow, leaving manatees without their primary food source. In some Florida habitats, more than half of the seagrass has died in recent years, dealing a huge blow to the gentle creatures.
Manatees help keep vegetation in check by preventing it from overgrowing while also consuming invasive species. They are also crucial for the overall fertilization of underwater vegetation, making the entire ecosystem run smoothly for other sea life. The loss of manatees would be devastating to the overall health of the habitats they roam.
But as more manatees continue to die, the delicate balance within these ecological communities starts to crumble, meaning that we are on the brink of losing many of these essential habitats, as well as the sea life that depends on them.
1,110 Florida manatees died in a single year. This trend cannot continue if we want the species to survive. Fight against corporate interests to protect manatees and our planet with your $15 contribution today.
The reality is that the depleted seagrass creates a problem for people as well. Seagrass beds store about 18 percent of the world’s oceanic carbon, helping in the fight against climate change. They also provide coastal communities with protection from storm surges, which is especially significant as we see sea levels rise globally. Yet, cruise companies like Carnival Corp. have deemed its business more important than the survival of threatened species and our planet.
We cannot sit by as Big Cruise companies continue to decimate manatee populations and pollute our oceans. This blatant disregard for our ecosystems is, unfortunately, in character for these corporations, but Friends of the Earth Action continues to fight against the industry's irresponsible practices.
Your membership gift of $15 or more to Friends of the Earth Action today can help us step up our fight to protect at-risk manatees, endangered species, and our planet from corporate greed. Please make your contribution today -- before more manatees suffer cruel, preventable deaths.
Big Cruise corporations like Carnival Corp. continue to dump polluted wastewater into manatee habitats, contributing to the death of their primary food source. Help us fight to save starving manatees, endangered species, and the planet with your $15 contribution today.
Standing with you,
Marcie Keever,
Oceans & vessels program director,
Friends of the Earth Action
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