The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit pulled a dead manatee from the water off Ben T. Davis Beach on Sept. 6, the day before Labor Day.

The beach sits along the Courtney Campbell Causeway in Tampa, on the same Tampa Bay waters that Apollo Beach and Ruskin boaters navigate regularly. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is now investigating the animal's cause of death.

Deputies, FWC biologist respond to the scene

Deputies responded to reports of the dead manatee that morning and met an FWC marine biologist on scene, the sheriff's office said on X. Together, they towed the animal away from the beach and swimmers so FWC could examine it.

Neither the sheriff's office nor FWC had released a cause of death as of Sept. 8.

Labor Day weekend poses added risk

The timing raised concern. WFLA reported that Labor Day is considered one of the most hazardous holidays for the threatened species, which faces heightened risk from boat traffic during busy weekends on the water.

Boat strikes remain a top cause of death

Watercraft strikes remain a leading killer of manatees across Florida. Preliminary FWC data show 469 manatees died statewide between Jan. 1 and Sept. 4, according to WTSP. Of those, 89 deaths were caused by watercraft.

Those numbers track with a grim trend. In 2025, ZooTampa estimated more than 600 manatees died statewide, with 96 of those deaths tied to boating injuries, WFLA reported.

The 2026 figures cover only the first eight months of the year, meaning the final toll could climb as boating activity continues through fall.

Reminder for local boaters on speed zones

For boaters in Apollo Beach, Ruskin and across Hillsborough County, the incident is a reminder that manatee zones and slow-speed regulations apply year-round in Tampa Bay. FWC has not announced when it expects to release findings on this particular animal.

How to report a manatee in distress

Anyone who sees a sick, injured or dead manatee should call the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.