For decades, manatees retreated to Florida’s Indian River Lagoon, near a power plant where they could stay warm in the winter. But when the seagrass they grazed on disappeared, one of their most vital habitats turned into a graveyard.
In this reporting project, a Tampa Bay Times investigation traces the tragedy to its roots and finds that it’s a dire example of a runaway pollution crisis across the state.
Hundreds of Florida waterways are in danger.
