They will all die without your help

[Chris and Pooh]

Hello,
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 including us Brits 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 leave a thread to bump this post I feel it is important

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.

 

[Deedee]

Hi Chris and Pooh i am with you all the way i too have adopted manatees for years.

 

[stitch&ariel]

I shall definately be having a look at this site when I have more time to read it properly, I love seeing the Manatees at Sea World they are so beautiful !

 

[jonestavern]

Thank you for the links. I will certainly e-mail the Florida governor.
How lovely & touching you all have adopted manatees
I will certainly look into that for our family.

Jean

 

[WDWfan uk]

I fell in love with the manatees the first time I saw them in Sea World, and was appalled at the injuries they suffer from boats - problem is the people who have the boats do not want to change their way of life - or indeed their boats - to accommodate these gentle creatures. There seemed little political will to address the situation, as it does not get votes.

If you visit Sea World, take time out at the Manatee Rescue, and if they have an experienced host, speak to them about the crisis - we did this back in 1994. At that time, they did not expect them to survive to the Millennium. It had a profound effect on me. I always visit them, but it always affects me.

Thank you for the link and for bringing this to our attention - I certainly would like to adopt a manatee, but I also wish that their natural habitat was protected so that they can continue.

 

[Minniespal]

Thanks for the link ~ I have bookmarked it and will have a look at home tonight.

I love the Manatees at Seaworld. Shame that people are not more respectful of them in their natural environment.