Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary is known for its manatees, which come to the area to calve in the sheltered waters. However,even here, where boat traffic is very low, manatees are not entirely safe.
On Sunday the 15th of January 2017, SACD and Wildtracks responded to a call from Fernando’s Guest house, in Sarteneja, about a stranded manatee on the seafront. The manatee was confirmed to be a sub-adult male that suffered a fatal boat strike injury. It was transported back to Wildtracks for a necropsy and burial.
Boat strike injuries have become the leading cause of death for manatees in Belize. If you are a boat captain, please remember to slow down in manatee areas, and watch out for manatees