Florida raises estimate for the state’s manatee population

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — It’s been a deadly year for manatees, but Florida wildlife officials believe there are more of the threatened marine mammals than they previously thought.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission now says roughly 7,500 to 10,300 manatees swim in state waters, a significant increase from previous estimates of roughly 6,000.
A statement Tuesday said the population estimate comes from data collected in a 2015-2016 survey and analyzed with upgraded c