Toxic 'red tide' algae blooms are killing fish, turtles, and manatees in Florida - here's what it looks like and why it's happening

The waters on the southwest coast of Florida haven't been clear for 10 months.

A red tide that rolled in last fall is still plaguing the waters of the eastern Gulf of Mexico, turning the formerly pristine coastline a cloudy mud-red and killing off many kinds of wildlife.

The dangerous algae blooms are called karenia brevis, and they thrive in briny sea water that is warm but not too hot.

Ocean observers at Florida's Mote Marine lab say this year's red tide is not a record-breaker yet, but it is the most persistent algae bloom they've seen in roughly a decade.

Take a look at why it's happening and which creatures are dying because of the algae.