For the past two winters, Florida wildlife biologists have hand-fed lettuce to hungry manatees in the Indian River Lagoon as the animals’ natural food source, seagrass, was in short supply.
This winter, though, there won’t be another lettuce buffet.
Wildlife experts say there are two main reasons: There’s enough seagrass in the Mosquito Lagoon — where manatees linger during the colder winter months, and there are no indications that manatees are in poor health.
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