Nearly 1,000 of Florida’s beloved manatees have died since the beginning of this year, mostly due to starvation, wildlife officials said. The 984 manatee deaths recorded so far his year more than doubles last year’s total of 483 deaths, according to mortality statistics provided by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

Most mortalities were associated with starvation due to the lack of seagrasses near warm-water refuge sites in the Indian River Lagoon, the FWC said, noting that a comprehensive investigation into the deaths continues. The blooms blanket the surface of the water and shade out the seagrasses underwater that rely on the sun to survive, killing the grasses. As the seagrasses die, manatees begin to eat less or they eat other plants that don’t provide the needed nutrition and they begin to lose weight. Over time, this leads to malnutrition and, eventually, starvation.