[mntborn]

And yet they took the manatee off the endangered list!!!! If the morons who drive like maniacs through the canals and rivers would slow down and obey the speed sign more manatees would survive. Kids drive those dang jet skis down our canals all the time. They give you the one finger salute when you yell for them to slow down. I have been on my kayak when they go by and let me tell you that is one way to practice your balancing!

[sunrico90]

Acording to U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service the manatee is an endangered species. I would hope that they have the latest info. Florida has 57 animals in this list.

E= Endagered
T= Threatened

Florida

Notes:

* This report shows the species listed in this state according to the Federal Register listing description.
* This list does not include experimental populations and similarity of appearance listings.
* This list includes species or populations under the sole jurisdiction of the National Marine Fisheries Service.
* Click on the highlighted scientific names below to view a Species Profile for each listing.


Listed species (based on published population data) -- 112 listings
Animals -- 57
Status Species/Listing Name
T Bankclimber, purple (mussel) (Elliptoideus sloatianus)
E Bat, gray (Myotis grisescens)
E Beetle, American burying (Nicrophorus americanus)
E Butterfly, Schaus swallowtail (Heraclides aristodemus ponceanus)
T Caracara, Audubon's crested FL pop. (Polyborus plancus audubonii)
E Crocodile, American (Crocodylus acutus)
E Curlew, Eskimo (Numenius borealis)
E Darter, Okaloosa (Etheostoma okaloosae)
E Deer, key (Odocoileus virginianus clavium)
T Eagle, bald lower 48 States (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
T Jay, Florida scrub (Aphelocoma coerulescens)
E Kite, Everglade snail FL pop. (Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus)
E Manatee, West Indian (Trichechus manatus)
E Moccasinshell, Gulf (Medionidus penicillatus)
E Moccasinshell, Ochlockonee (Medionidus simpsonianus)
E Mouse, Anastasia Island beach (Peromyscus polionotus phasma)
E Mouse, Choctawhatchee beach (Peromyscus polionotus allophrys)
E Mouse, Key Largo cotton (Peromyscus gossypinus allapaticola)
E Mouse, Perdido Key beach (Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis)
T Mouse, southeastern beach (Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris)
E Mouse, St. Andrew beach (Peromyscus polionotus peninsularis)
E Panther, Florida (Puma (=Felis) concolor coryi)
E Pigtoe, oval (Pleurobema pyriforme)
T Plover, piping except Great Lakes watershed (Charadrius melodus)
E Pocketbook, shinyrayed (Lampsilis subangulata)
E Rabbit, Lower Keys marsh (Sylvilagus palustris hefneri)
E Rice rat lower FL Keys (Oryzomys palustris natator)
T Salamander, flatwoods (Ambystoma cingulatum)
E Sawfish, smalltooth (Pristis pectinata)
E Sea turtle, green FL, Mexico nesting pops. (Chelonia mydas)
T Sea turtle, green except where endangered (Chelonia mydas)
E Sea turtle, hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata)
E Sea turtle, Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii)
E Sea turtle, leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea)
T Sea turtle, loggerhead (Caretta caretta)
E Seal, Caribbean monk (Monachus tropicalis)
T Shrimp, Squirrel Chimney Cave (Palaemonetes cummingi)
T Skink, bluetail mole (Eumeces egregius lividus)
T Skink, sand (Neoseps reynoldsi)
T Slabshell, Chipola (Elliptio chipolaensis)
T Snail, Stock Island tree (Orthalicus reses (not incl. nesodryas))
T Snake, Atlantic salt marsh (Nerodia clarkii taeniata)
T Snake, eastern indigo (Drymarchon corais couperi)
E Sparrow, Cape Sable seaside (Ammodramus maritimus mirabilis)
E Sparrow, Florida grasshopper (Ammodramus savannarum floridanus)
E Stork, wood AL, FL, GA, SC (Mycteria americana)
T Sturgeon, gulf (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi)
E Sturgeon, shortnose (Acipenser brevirostrum)
T Tern, roseate Western Hemisphere except NE U.S. (Sterna dougallii dougallii)
E Three-ridge, fat (mussel) (Amblema neislerii)
E Vole, Florida salt marsh (Microtus pennsylvanicus dukecampbelli)
E Whale, finback (Balaenoptera physalus)
E Whale, humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae)
E Whale, right (Balaena glacialis (incl. australis))
E Wolf, gray lower 48 States, except MN and where XN; Mexico (Canis lupus)
E Woodpecker, red-cockaded (Picoides borealis)
E Woodrat, Key Largo (Neotoma floridana smalli)

http://ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/Stat...isted&state=FL

additional info:
http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/S...do?spcode=A007

[mntborn]

They took the manatee off the endangered and put them on the threatened. Sad

[BlueWillowPlate]

I met a guy here who once owned a boat called the Manatee Blender.

[sunrico90]

These enormous vegetarians can be found in warm coastal waters from East Africa to Australia, including the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and Pacific.

Dugongs are related to manatees and are similar in appearance and behavior— though the dugong's tail is fluked like a whale's. Both are related to the elephant, although the giant land animal is not at all similar in appearance or behavior.

Dugongs graze on underwater grasses day and night, rooting for them with their bristled, sensitive snouts and chomping them with their rough lips.

These mammals can stay underwater for six minutes before surfacing. They sometimes breathe by "standing" on their tail with their heads above water.

[sunrico90]

People are getting involve in the issue:

West Palm Beach -- Scott Prasse navigated through the choppy waterway looking for manatees and anyone who could harm them.

"We want to make sure future generations see and enjoy the gentle giants," the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer said as he patrolled a stretch of the Intracoastal Waterway near West Palm Beach Saturday.

West Palm Beach -- Scott Prasse navigated through the choppy waterway looking for manatees and anyone who could harm them.

"We want to make sure future generations see and enjoy the gentle giants," the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer said as he patrolled a stretch of the Intracoastal Waterway near West Palm Beach Saturday.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/loc...home-headlines

[dreamofmonterey]

That's a good positive thing to hear. Thanks!.

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by sunnyhelena

That's a good positive thing to hear. Thanks!.

Just imagine if they did the same for crime

[sunrico90]

Broward county is having problems.....

FORT LAUDERDALE — Broward County officials are set to meet Thursday to devise a new manatee protection plan for the region after the state rejected a previous proposal that would have allowed the construction of thousands of new docks.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission told the county it needed to find ways to reduce the number of collisions between manatees and boats.

Watercraft killed seven manatees in Broward County last year, the highest number in at least three decades. Last year, watercraft killed at least 86 manatees statewide, the second-highest total on record, according to the commission.

The rejection of Broward County's plan dealt a blow to the region's boating industry because a current three-year moratorium on the construction of new docks will remain in effect. About 40 proposals for new marine construction have been on hold because of the moratorium, said Frank Herhold, executive director of the Marine Industry Association of South Florida.

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2007/..._reject/?state

[lulu]

I'd jail these heartless watercraft offender's for at least 1 day to scare the heck out of them ... the meat grinder these harmless souls have to endure is just too much to even think about.
This is definitely animal cruelty!
My poor, poor babies... Makes me sooooooo.....sad .

You know, I see adults & young teens speeding on their jet ski's all the time and driving up to the shore like thunder lightening, saw this about 4 months ago again in Key Biscayne - even with people and children all around... I thought they were cracking down on this. What if I'm swimming under the water, which I do at times...is it ok to slice me too?? Unbelievable...
Also, young teens driving them?? Would one let a 12 or 13 yr old drive a car?? Aren't parents afraid that their kids might crash into a boat or something and kill themselves....or somebody? Which unfortunately has happened.
I'll never understand why it is that laws are enforced on the road, but not really on the water... What's the difference??
The message that is being sent is that a casualty on the water is not important, but but on the road it is. Maybe it's just me, but I'll never understand the logic here....