These wetland birds are a species of low concern, however, there is almost no data on Limpkin population numbers and trends. In Florida, it has declined from abundant in the nineteenth century to uncommon and local in the present day. In 1970 some 8,000–10,000 individuals were thought to live in Lake Okeechobee alone, but in 1994 an estimate suggested 3,000 to 6,000 pairs remained in the entire state. In Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America it is much more numerous. Partners in Flight gives the species a 10 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score, indicating it is a species of low conservation concern.
Limpkins were once abundant in Florida, but were easy to catch or shoot and were almost eradicated by hunters. Habitat loss, including conversion of wetlands to agriculture, flood control, and development, further contributed to the decline. With more than half the wetlands in central and southern Florida having been lost during the last century, apple snail habitat (their main food source) has been greatly reduced. Water-level manipulations that harm apple snail populations still occur in the widely engineered and highly political water management environment of southern Florida. Nevertheless, recent accomplishments and future plans for wetland restoration in the greater Everglades and the Upper St. Johns River Marsh offer hope for improved apple snail and Limpkin habitat.
