'Tis the season: Hotel hosts promotion to shed light on higher-than-normal manatee deaths

BRADENTON — As manatees continue to struggle with higher-than-normal death rates this year, a Manatee County hotel hopes to bring awareness to the situation. 

The Compass by Margaritaville on Anna Maria Sound recently launched a ‘Tis the SeaSon promotion, partially in conjunction with November’s Manatee Awareness Month. The hotel will donate $5 for each night booked to go toward the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature’s Manatee Rehabilitation Program. 

The promotion will continue through Jan. 31, 2022, according to a statement. Additionally, the hotel designed an alcoholic beverage called the Mana-Tini. A donation will be made to the manatee program for each drink that’s purchased. 

The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature is the home of the Parker Manatee Rehabilitation Habitat, which rescues manatees from the wild after they become sick or injured. Since 1998, the program has rehabilitated more than 40 manatees, according to the press release. 

“Florida lost more wild manatees, which are classified as threatened, this year than any other year in the state’s history,” General Manager France Langan says in the statement. “Our guests will help feed and care for rehabilitating manatees, including Janus, Iclyn and Aria, until they are healthy enough to be returned to the wild. Care can range from a few months to more than a year, depending on age and cause of rescue.”  

Janus, Iclyn and Aria are the three manatees in the habitat’s care at the moment. There have been 1,017 manatee deaths from the first of this year through Nov. 19.