Monday, November 19, 2012
With manatees moving to warmer waters as the temperature dips in Florida, boaters are reminded to take extra precautions to protect them.
Now that the weather outside is chilly, Florida manatees are migrating to warmer waters. They swim in search of a warm winter refuge such as freshwater springs or canals adjacent to power plant outflows. An adult manatee may weigh 1,000 pounds or more but is susceptible to cold. Water temperatures dipping to 68 degrees or below can produce cold stress in these aquatic mammals, and even cause death. On Nov. 15, seasonal manatee protection zone went into effect. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has provided boating safety tips below to protect manatees. November is designated as Manatee Awareness Month because of this seasonal migration. As authorities said earlier this year, you should probably try to avoid riding the…
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
A woman is broke the law by riding a manatee, but there are other things that will violate the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act
Most people won't go up to a manatee and try to take it for a ride like the woman at Fort De Soto did, but there are other things that are just as harmful as well. When you see a manatee, here are three tips for going about the situation and keeping the manatee safe from the Florida Manatee Fact Sheet. For more information, check out the Save the Manatee Club, which offers a directory of parks and other places to visit to see manatees in the wild. The website also shows photos of "safe" viewing of manatees in their natural habitat.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is searching for a woman seen riding and handling a manatee, an endangered species.
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is asking the public for helping in identifying and finding a woman spotted astride a manatee in the waters off Fort De Soto Park Sunday. Deputies responded to a call from park rangers at Fort De Soto that a woman was riding a manatee in the waters north of the Gulf Pier. The woman was unable to be found when deputies arrived, but witnesses were able to provide descriptions and photos of the woman, which also were posted to Facebook. According to a post on the Friends of Fort De Soto Facebook page, the manatees that the woman was riding were mating at the time of the incident. One of the commenters wrote: "I was shocked when I saw this lady in the water with the Manatees that were mating, It got worse …
Friday, July 20, 2012
About eight to 10 manatees are mating in the shallow waters off the east side of the Courtney Campbell Causeway.
In Florida, maybe it's time to include manatees in the classic birds-and-the-bees talk. Clearwater Police were called with multiple reports of beached manatees on the eastside of the Courtney Campbell Causeway around 6 p.m. Thursday. Turns out the eight to 10 "sea cows" were mating in shallow water. Typically a single female cow is followed by up to a dozen bull manatees to form a mating herd, according to Save the Manatee Club, a nonprofit devoted to protecting the species. The manatees could breed and give birth any time of the year, but there is a spring-summer peak, according to the club. When officers got on scene they called Clearwater Marine Aquarium emergency staff to assist. The manatees were still mating off the causeway Friday. …
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission has released new manatee and sea turtle decals which are available for a $5 donation. The money helps support manatee and sea turtle research, rehabilitation and educational programs.
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Tuesday, July 17, 2012
New editions of manatee and sea turtle decals are available at local tax collectors’ offices across the state. The popular decals, produced annually by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), provide an important source of funds for the state’s efforts to conserve Florida’s manatees and sea turtles. Anyone donating $5 will receive a decal. Donations support manatee and sea turtle research, rehabilitation and educational programs, as well as FWC conservation efforts. “It’s great to see our decals everywhere — on cars, trucks, boats and trailers. Decals are a fantastic and affordable way to show the importance of protecting Florida’s manatees and sea turtles,” said the FWC’s sea turtle program leader, Robbin Trindell. “…
Matt Roch
3:33 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Thanks for that information. That will help a lot of people understand more about it. Especially those people commenting about it and not understanding and respecting the wild life. more ›