There’s a troubling trend here in Hernando County. Five manatees have turned up dead in just 36 days along the Mud River in Spring Hill. The year before, officials say only one manatee died in all of the county. Those who live along the river say of course they are saddened by the death of the manatees, but they are not surprised. For neighbors Lucas Johns, Lynne Herrick, and Stephanie Kozuch, life along the river is better when the wildlife comes out to play. “You stand here long enough you’ll spot them,” Johns said. “A lot of times you can tell it's them because there will be circles in the water,” Herrick added. “Yes, every time I see a manatee I’m amazed,” Kozuch said. But these neighbors say the play on the river has become too much after five manatees were found dead all in just a little over a month. One of them was pregnant with a calf. “There isn’t any seagrass. Turns out that’s how the manatees died,” Herrick said. Necropsy reports obtained by 10 Investigates show all the manatees died with macroalgae in their gastrointestinal tract. Florida Fish and Wildlife officers believe the sudden diet shift gave them a GI issue. MORE: https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/community-connection/gi-problem-killing-manatees-mud-river-florida/67-ee314e1b-d1c3-4667-b5c8-1ebb9739a59b ►Subscribe: https://on.wtsp.com/youtube ►Website: https://www.wtsp.com/ ►Facebook: https://facebook.com/10TampaBay ►X: https://twitter.com/10TampaBay