Federal wildlife officials have proposed expanding designations of “critical habitat” for Florida manatees, potentially bolstering protections in areas ranging from Wakulla Springs in Northwest Florida to the Florida Keys.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected this week to publish a proposed rule that would lead to 1.9 million acres being designated as critical habitat, nearly double the amount designated in the past.
The proposal came after the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife and the Save the Manatee Club filed a lawsuit in 2022 to try to force upgraded habitat protections. The federal agency later reached a settlement and agreed to propose revised critical habitat for manatees by this month…