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| manatees @ Three Sisters Spring, Crystal River, FL |
Agency records posted on-line by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) show Florida manatees are subjected to human harassment that is "
out of control". One wildlife refuge manager wrote, "I believe the amount of unregulated [human] activity is likely to result in a take of manatees." A "take" is a legal term that includes direct or indirect actions that adversely affect a protected animal. For example, unregulated human "swimming with manatees" tours that bring hundreds of humans to narrow, shallow springs inhabited by manatee could constitute a "take" under the Endangered Species Act since the invasions could interfere with normal animal activities such as resting, feeding and breeding. Amateur flash photography is "out-of-hand" at Three Sister Springs
[photo credit: Cynthia Taylor]. The manager goes on to write that despite "herculean education efforts" the visitor is failing to understand proper behavior near a protected animal or even becomes abusive towards volunteers or refuge staff when warned concerning the needs of manatees. Some local idiots enter the refuges at night to evade staff and disturb sleeping manatees. The manager goes so far as to recommend the springs be closed to prevent a take of manatee. PEER has filed a
notice of intent to sue the Fish & Wildlife Service concerning the lack of effective control over human swimming activity in
warm springs manatees need to survive. Despite spending their entire life in water, the animals have relatively thin fat layers and cannot survive for long in water below 68℉. They return regularly to warm water or even power plant outlfows to warm up in winter.
The Service has received thousands of complaints about manatee harassment in Florida over the years, but has done little about controlling human interaction with the shy mammal. Since establishing a
dedicated e-mail address for receiving public complaints it has issued just eight citations and has not analysed the extent or nature of manatee-human interactions. Conservationist characterize the agency's handling of manatee protection as a "head-in-the-sand" approach that invites lawsuits.
US Person could suggest a more descriptive location for the agency's head, but it would be "
rude".