Manatees

"Sea Cow Status At Peril," the headline screams. "U.S. Officials May Switch to ‘Threatened.’" The West Indian Manatee, or sea cow, is an endangered species that could soon be losing its extensive protection. The manatee is our state freshwater mammal here in Florida, and we need to take steps to save it. First of all, boaters need to be more aware of manatees. Furthermore, the manatee should not be reclassified as ‘threatened’ instead of ‘endangered.’ If the people of Florida would work together to save these gentle giants, we would not have to worry abut losing yet another species to the carelessness of mankind.

Boaters need to be cautious of manatees even when they are not in ‘no wake’ zones. Manatees do not stay inside the manmade boundaries of ‘no-wake’ zones and manatee zones. Their home is the rivers, and they should not be forced away from it. About 86 manatees were killed by collisions with boat propellers last year alone! No-wake zones are created to help save the manatees, but it is the responsibility of all boaters to pay attention to and obey these signs. If no one observed these zones, there would be no point in having them at all. Manatees can and do roam outside of no-wake zones, so boaters need to be careful in all freshwater bodies. If all boaters obeyed ‘no-wake’ zones and tried to be more cautious, the number of deaths by boat collisions would certainly drop for the West Indian manatee.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service needs to not down grade the manatee to ‘threatened.’ Such a reclassification makes it seem as if the manatees are doing better; people think that they are coming back. This event would be a good thing if not for the climbing death records, loss of habitat, and development that affect the manatees’ future. The manatee population has increased in the last 30 years, but 2006 also had the highest death record, 416 manatees, in 30 years. If the manatee is named ‘threatened,’ people- boaters and fishers especially – will most likely be less careful. Many will think that because the manatee is only threatened now, the population is high enough, and they can ignore the ‘no-wake’ zones. This is not true. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission found that the manatee is at a very high risk of extinction. However, recently developed criteria state that if the manatee population isn’t in danger of being reduced by 80%, they do not qualify for endangered status in Florida. These criteria are putting the manatee at such a risk for extinction that, if we wait too long to act, they might be too far gone to save.

The manatee is a beautiful, calm animal that means no harm to anyone. They are herbivores; they do not even deplete our fish population! They seem to be unimportant, but every creature here contributes in some way to the ecosystem. We must encourage boaters and friends of boaters to not only obey no-wake signs and be cautious, but to inform other boaters of the danger that the manatee is in! We also must protest against the downlisting of manatees to ‘threatened’ status. Manatees are dying every day, as made clear by the death records. Without the help of everyone, the manatee will be listed as threatened, boaters will lose caution, and they will no longer be as safe as they are now.

Megan
Ormond Beach Middle School