Manatees are no longer endangered, and not everyone's happy about it

The manatee is officially endangered no more.

Increases in manatee populations and improvements in their habitats led the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service to downgrade protections for the species from “endangered” to “threatened.”

But not everyone is happy with the seemingly good news.

The Center for Biological Diversity noted 2016 was the deadliest year to date for manatees. "Manatees are still in danger. With ongoing threats posed by boat strikes and habitat loss, we don’t support reducing protections," said Jaclyn Lopez, Florida director for the center said.

Still, the move to downgrade the manatee marks a milestone. About 13,000 manatees currently live throughout the Caribbean and the southeast U.S. The species is subdivided equally between the Antillean manatee and the Florida manatee.

That's a stark contrast to years past when the mammals appeared to be on the brink of extinction. The current population of 6,620 Florida manatees is a dramatic turnaround from the 1970s, when just a few hundred manatees remained, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service said. The manatee, also known as a sea cow, was first listed as an endangered species in 1973.

“Today we both recognize the significant progress we have made in conserving manatee populations while reaffirming our commitment to continuing this species’ recovery and success throughout its range," acting director Jim Kurth said in a statement.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, determines which animals need to be protected under the Endangered Species Act. Federal protections will remain in place for manatees, which are migrating from their wintering grounds near warm-water outpours and coastal springs.

Others also criticized the move.

Calling it a “huge disappointment,” Congressman Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., blasted the Fish and Wildlife Service. "The decision to weaken protections under the Endangered Species Act threatens the survival of the manatee, one of Florida’s most beloved animals,” Buchanan said. “It needs to be reversed.”

Manatees continue to face a variety of threats to their existence, including watercraft collisions, habitat loss and red tide, he said.

Buchanan said he planned to contact Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke to ask him to reconsider and overturn the decision.

Environmental groups also sounded the alarm.

“We believe this is a devastating blow to manatees,” said Patrick Rose, executive director of the Save the Manatee Club, in a statement. “A federal reclassification at this time will seriously undermine the chances of securing the manatee’s long-term survival."

Contributing: Karl Etters, Tallahassee Democrat