[Chicken Wing]

A friend of mine who lives in Ft. Lauderdale says she just saw her first manatee. She said it came right up to their dock in one of the canals. Has anyone else seen one before? How common are they?

I assume there are quite a few in MANATEE County.

[Prichard]

Manatees are far more common than many environmentalists would have you believe. I have seen bunches of them playing in the intercoastal waterway north of Titusville; they are all over Crystal river; in the St. Johns river, and you will see them around most coastal waterways through out Florida. They like our warm water in the winter, and then many go elswhere, like Mexico for the summer, but some many also stay in Florida too.

Don't forget, Aligators are still on the endangered species list. No one who has lived in Florida for more than a year can figure out why.

[macguy]

Originally Posted by Prichard

Manatees are far more common than many environmentalists would have you believe. I have seen bunches of them playing in the intercoastal waterway north of Titusville; they are all over Crystal river; in the St. Johns river, and you will see them around most coastal waterways through out Florida. They like our warm water in the winter, and then many go elswhere, like Mexico for the summer, but some many also stay in Florida too.

Don't forget, Aligators are still on the endangered species list. No one who has lived in Florida for more than a year can figure out why.

I don't think alligators have been on the edangered list for like 20 years. I thought they had been declared fully recovered.

[amberamour]

We used to live on the top floor of a high rise overlooking a lake and we did see several manatees, moreso in winter months. They are very slow and lumbering creatures and the most common trait they share is wounds on their backs from encounters with boat propellors. It was sad seeing these gentle giants so scarred up.

Our lake was a manatee zone and SLOW signs were posted but were often disregarded. A few times we called and had boaters ticketed but only if they were thrill riding long enough to be cited. Most times they would tear through the lake, do their damage and take off like a bat outta hell.

As for their numbers, I do think there are more than the official count but if you enjoy having the chance to encounter the few lovely things remaining from Old Florida like manatees, that's a good thing.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Alligators were taken off the endangered species list in 1987.
But they are legally protected from being killed for their skins.
A local here told me about a boat he used to own.
He called it the Manatee Blender.

[macguy]

Originally Posted by Chicken Wing

A friend of mine who lives in Ft. Lauderdale says she just saw her first manatee. She said it came right up to their dock in one of the canals. Has anyone else seen one before? How common are they?

I assume there are quite a few in MANATEE County.

When I was a kid we always swam in the canals. Back then the water was not all polluted and you could swim in them, today I wouldn't eat a fish you caught in any of the south Florida canals. We saw manatee all the time they were all over the place. You would see the water lilies disappearing and you would jump in the water and dive under and there was a manatee. It was strange you would see the mouth eating the plants then look under the water and there is this huge animal like 10 feet long and 800 lb. underneath.

You could swim right up to them and touch them and they would be complete oblivious to you. They must be like one of the dumbest animals on the planet. It's not surprising they are disappearing, you would think they would have figured not to go where the boats are but they are like a dog that just doesn't know any better then to walk in traffic.

Man can they eat. you would see a side canal that was completely clogged with plants you could hardly row a boat through them and a couple of manatee would move in. In no time there would not be a floating plant to be found. I think at one time they actually had some kind of program to relocate manatee to areas that needed to be cleaned out and just let them eat it all.

[lulu]

I see them at times, though not all the time - can't say how many there are...though, there's a canal close to my home that I visit from time to time to see if I can catch a glimpse of one of 'em - I sure love 'em. Last time I saw a pair...it was so sweet. When I do happen to see them, I throw a couple of lettuce heads so they can have a snack. It's adorable to see them chomp on 'em.
5 stars to Carolinadreamin for blowing the whistle on those joy riders that have no heart. They deserve that & much more....seriously, I'd jail them for at least a day and scare the heck out of them.
When we had our sailboat I'd see these speeders all the time. I just wish boaters would bear in mind the damage they are doing to these sweet, totally harmless, slow moving natives. I just can't stress enough the importance of going slower. These creatures are right below the water - not way under, they need time to move as they are very big, fat & slow - they are not fast dolphins by any means - all the opposite. By the time a boat speeds by it's really too late...I don't even want to describe what happens to them cause it's sick. Poor babies, makes my heart wither away...

[Prichard]

Not all polution of the Florida lakes and waterway is from humans. Yes, those Manatees can eat, that's why they are called "sea cows". And all that ruffage they eat has to go somewhere too. They are mamals just like we are, so swimming in the stuff they crap out isn't that much different than swimming in the stuff we crap out.

Lakes and rivers were big toilet bowls long before humans came around.

Just because I point these things out doesn't mean I don't like Manatees. In fact, I do! I'm not even an environmentalist, but I belive prop boats should be banned on Florida's lakes and rivers. They make jet engines that are safer for Manatees and humans, cost the same as prop engines, can pull water skiiers, and move pleanty fast on our lakes and rivers. I know this isn't a perfect solution, but it would go a long way. I don't understand why this hasn't been done. Perhaps, the boat companies have powerful lobbiests in Tallahassee.

[macguy]

Originally Posted by Prichard

Not all polution of the Florida lakes and waterway is from humans. Yes, those Manatees can eat, that's why they are called "sea cows". And all that ruffage they eat has to go somewhere too. They are mamals just like we are, so swimming in the stuff they crap out isn't that much different than swimming in the stuff we crap out.

Lakes and rivers were big toilet bowls long before humans came around.

Just because I point these things out doesn't mean I don't like Manatees. In fact, I do! I'm not even an environmentalist, but I belive prop boats should be banned on Florida's lakes and rivers. They make jet engines that are safer for Manatees and humans, cost the same as prop engines, can pull water skiiers, and move pleanty fast on our lakes and rivers. I know this isn't a perfect solution, but it would go a long way. I don't understand why this hasn't been done. Perhaps, the boat companies have powerful lobbiests in Tallahassee.

In theory that may sound correct but I don't think it is. There is a difference between the organic natural waste of say a sea cow and the chemical waste produced by man. In fact the fish may thrive in it. When you eat a lobster you are just eating a giant sea roach that scavenges along the bottom of the water eating what ever decaying left overs it can find.

I had a good friend who was head chef at one of south Florida's top sea food restaurants in the 70's and 80's called the Sea Grill in fort Lauderdale. They prided themselves on the freshest sea food They would go and buy right off the docks everyday and from private fishermen. He told me even back then that they would have to cut out all kinds of cancers and horrible stuff they couldn't even identify before serving you your $20 fish plate.

Those came from the ocean off of Fort Lauderdale, and that was 20 years ago, I can't imagine what the canals must be like now for the fish. You look at the canals from an angle and you can see the petroleum floating on the surface along with who knows what chemicals are in there. I would not eat any fish from a canal.

[amberamour]

Originally Posted by lulu

I sure love 'em. Last time I saw a pair...it was so sweet. When I do happen to see them, I throw a couple of lettuce heads so they can have a snack. It's adorable to see them chomp on 'em.
5 stars to Carolinadreamin for blowing the whistle on those joy riders that have no heart. They deserve that & much more....seriously, I'd jail them for at least a day and scare the heck out of them.
...I don't even want to describe what happens to them cause it's sick. Poor babies, makes my heart wither away...

Thanks for saying that lulu. I became very well acquainted with the battle that Save the Manatees had with boaters and was just trying to do my part to alert law enforcement. The lake we were on was an artery to the Intracoastal but was a protected cove on all sides but one. Even though there was nowhere to go once inside the lake but in a big circle, boaters (and jetskiiers galore) would come in to check it out and hit the gas just to see how much wake they could make.
We always equated that kind of behavior to people who drive fast cars whose mindset seems to be: What's the purpose of buying a fast car that you don't drive fast? Similarly, what's the point of buying a fast boat that you don't drive fast and to hell with safety to humans and animals alike!
Yes, I'm a bleeding heart for all animals and definitely will help bust anyone who is being reckless in the wrong place.
I wish more Floridians felt as you do and were on the intelligent side of the food chain instead of simply looking for ways to have "fun" at such high expense. We all can do a lot more to guard and cherish our wildlife and as I like to say... learn to share the planet.