"More Than 6,000 Endangered Manatees Counted In Annual Florida Survey"

"TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A record number of manatees have been tallied in Florida's annual survey of the endangered marine mammals, state wildlife officials said Monday.

The total of 6,063 manatees tops the previous record set in 2010 by about 1,000, but that doesn't mean the state's manatee population has grown by that much, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The state conducts the aerial surveys each year, depending on the weather. Researchers have no way to estimate the number of manatees that aren't visible during the surveys, so the tally is considered a minimum count of Florida's manatee population."

The Associated Press had the story March 16, 2015.