Free Manatees from extinction

[Chris and Pooh]

Hello,
Please Please leave a thread to bump this post I feel it is important.
PLEASE READ
My DW and I have adopted a number of manatees over the years to try and help the species survive extinction, they also need your help.
If you are interested use the following link for more info
http://www.savethemanatee.org/default.html

I am not sure if many out of staters or foreigners are aware of the potentially critical situation that is happening to the threatened population of Manatees in Florida, but they need help. Please read the following, sorry its long

Please Don't Downlist Manatees​

The Issue:​

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWCC) Biological Review Panel has issued a report recommending that manatees be downlisted from endangered to threatened status on the state level.

This latest move is a triumph of politics over science. Manatees are poised to be downlisted regardless of how they are faring in the wild because of a calculated effort by special interest groups opposed to boat speed zones and restrictions on development.

And the FWCC has done its part by adopting state listing/delisting criteria so stringent that manatees would have to undergo or be at risk of undergoing an 80% decline in population before they would be listed as endangered in Florida.

What You Can Do:
Use the following link:
http://www.savethemanatee.org/actionalert.cfm?id=12

or read and action the following.


In June, the Commissioners will vote to finalize the manatee’s listing status, but we need to act now. We need to flood the office of Florida Governor Jeb Bush with calls and letters. Please send the following letter to the governor telling him that you oppose downlisting manatees in Florida and call his office at 850-488-4441 to express your concern.

Subject: Please Don't Downlist Manatees

Dear Governor Bush:

I oppose downlisting manatees from their current endangered status in Florida, and I am asking you to do the same.

The new rule language the state has adopted to classify Florida’s imperiled species is deeply flawed and has been criticized by numerous eminent scientists.

Moreover, the state is playing “the name game,” adopting rule categories based on the World Conservation Union’s (IUCN) standards for listing species, but refusing to use the corresponding IUCN term for each category. For example, the FWCC uses the criteria in the IUCN’s “endangered,” category but labels it as “threatened.”

Last year was the second highest manatee mortality year on record. Just in the last five years, 1,682 manatees have died from all causes in Florida waters. That is almost an 18% increase over the previous five year period. Further, in the last five years, 398 manatees were killed by boats. That’s a 17% increase over the previous five year period.

Current scientific data do not support the notion that there is an increase in the manatee population, and threats to manatees and their habitat are increasing. In fact, the FWCC’s own scientific panel has determined that the statewide manatee population could likely decline 50% in the future, and the Southwest manatee population could decline as much as 80%.

The message you are sending to people like me who care about manatees is it is okay that more manatees are dying in Florida waters. That’s unacceptable to me, and it should be unacceptable to you.

 

[Magickndm]

I have the manatee vanity plate, have had it for years now.
Just sent the email. Thanks for the link.

 

[Daisy Duck 5]

I adopted a manatee earlier this year name Phyllis. She has twins which is very rare.

 

[Chris and Pooh]

We Have adopted a female called Ariel

 

[Chris and Pooh]

Our previous manatee Star died of a gastric problem

 

[luvflorida]

We Have adopted a female called Ariel

We adopted a manatee through the Save The Manatee Program as a gift for our daughter's 15th birthday last year. Her manatee is Ariel, also! She lives at Homosassa Springs State Park in Florida.

We're also members of the National Zoo in Washington DC, and adopted a Golden Lion Tamarin monkey for daughter's birthday. She loves her adoptees and likes knowing that the money goes to aid these animals.

Adopting a species makes a great gift for anyone!!

 

[Parkhopper]

My DS11 has been the adopted parent of a manatee named Flash since he was in Kindergarten (a gift from his Great Aunt and Uncle). He got such a kick out of telling people that he had a 13 year old "son" when he was only 5 himself. Sadly, Flash has not been seen recently.

Suzi

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

wow! great link - great iddea! Thank you!

 

[horsegirl]

I'm a Mainer and I know of the terrible situation for these lovely creatures. I did not know of the adoption and will do this for my kids. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Our manatee is Brutus, and he's an older male. He winters near/in Blue Springs State Park in Orange City Florida. We visit Blue Springs SP once every winter and it's so nice to see the manatees resting in the clear water of the park.

Many of the manatees are identified by the scars on their back from boats, and every day there is a count in the morning and the manatees that are in the park are identified and the list is posted. In '05, Brutus was present when we were there, but his name was not up when we went this past January. I hope he's OK!

My sister adopts the manatee for me as a Christmas present, and in turn, I adopt an animal (Rodriquez fruit bat - it's her pick) at the Philadelphia zoo.

Bobbi

 

[Chris and Pooh]

I wish more could help out and adopt them it only costs from $25 a year

 

[Chris and Pooh]

$25 dollars is not much, just a few burgers and some drinks!

 

[Chris and Pooh]

Is that too much to pay?

 

[Rock'n Robin]

You know, I love manatees and I think this is a great idea, but don't think the deceptive thread title is warranted. Anyone who likes manatees will open the thread.
I was not going to say anything. But now the OP keeps hammering about it. If people want to do this (and I'm adopting one for DD#2's BDay this next week) they will--everyone has priorities, don't make them feel guilty if this isn't one of them.
Robin M.

 

[C.Ann]

Wow! I didn't know people could adopt a manatee.. I saw them when I was in Florida and they're SUCH beautiful creatures!

Thanks for this info - I'm on it.. I'm also going to pass it along to my brother and his GF and my sister - all of whom live in Florida and I'm sure would love to be involved in this effort - as well as adopting..

I'm really glad you posted this!

 

[S. C.]

 

[adamak]

Thanks for the post! I didn't know I could adopt a manatee until today. And I just helped out Whiskers.

 

[Miller1412]

My Kindergarten Class adopts every year. Last time we adopted Deep Dent.

 

[lewdyan1]

Meet my newest addition to the family! Thanks for the link!

HOWIE is a sleek, large (1,350-pound) male, known to winter at the park since 1971. One of Howie's favorite activities is to tip the research canoe -- complete with researchers in it!

 

[BrerLizzie]

I'm asking my mom to let me adopt on when she gets home from work. I'm trying to decide who I like best!