Cold kills dozens of Fla. manatees
77 died of stress, topping previous record set last year
Dozens of manatees gather near where a power plant's outlet pipes warm the water in Riviera Beach,
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - More than 100 manatees have been found dead in Florida waters since the beginning of the year, mostly victims of a nearly two-week cold snap, state officials said Tuesday.
The preliminary cause of death for 77 of the endangered animals is cold stress, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said. They were found from Jan. 1 through Jan. 23.
The Sunshine State saw unseasonably cold weather earlier this month that killed fish and stunned thousands of sea turtles as well as iguanas.
