The Indian River Lagoon accounted for the majority of the deaths in the state in the last two years, mostly because of its poor water quality. Now, biologists tell News 6 they're finally starting to see conditions improve.

The St. Johns River’s temperature is still in the 50s, and that means manatees continue to pile into nearby Blue Spring State Park in Volusia County.

The drop in temperatures means colder water, and more manatees coming to Blue Spring State Park seeking a warm spot.

U.S. wildlife officials have agreed to revise the critical habitat designation for Florida manatees, which have been dying in record numbers because water pollution is killing a main food source.

U.S. wildlife officials have agreed to revise the critical habitat designation for Florida manatees, which have been dying in record numbers because water pollution is killing a main food source.

Some 537 manatees have died in 2022 so far, the majority of which were found in the Indian River Lagoon.

Starvation is blamed for a record number of manatee deaths in Florida this year, with at least 1,075 recorded in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s preliminary 2021 report so far.

Mandy and her calf Manilow were released Wednesday morning near Blue Spring.

ORANGE CITY, Fla. – A manatee that a year ago was seen swimming around Blue Spring State Park with a bicycle tire cinching its waist has returned to the crystal clear waters free of the trap. Officials from Save the Manatee Club said Friday they don’t know how the manatee managed to shake the tire lose but they mentioned that Wheelie, as the manatee was called by the public, was struck by a boat’s propeller in February and that strike cut and weakened the tire. Also called Schwinn by researchers, the manatee now has deep scars around its midsection where the bike tire was once entangled. Wheelie the manatee now has scars from where a bike tire was stuck around its waist. Save the Manatee Club manatee research associate Cora Berchem first spotted Wheelie on Wednesday on an above-water livestreaming webcam.

The Save the Manatee Club, in partnership with Blue Spring State Park, Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute and Volusia County, is in need of volunteers to be manatee observers. The volunteer program operates from March to November at Blue Spring State Park because that is “swim season” when park visitors may come in contact with manatees. The volunteers are there to “help prevent manatee harassment and to educate visitors about proper behavior around manatees. Two mandatory training sessions are scheduled at Blue Spring State Park on March 5 and March 14 at 10 a.m. for two to three hours. To sign up, email cberchem@savethemanatee.org with your preferred training date and whether you’d like a kayak training session.