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Wildlife authorities move to halt
manatee harassment
March 12, 2007
Media Contacts:
Karen Parker, FWC (386) 758-0525
Chuck Underwood, FWS (904) 232-2580, ext. 109
It’s OK to swim with manatees in most areas, but
swimmers must keep their distance or risk a citation.
Intentionally touching a manatee or doing anything that disrupts
the animal’s natural behavior is illegal.
State and federal authorities have fielded
hundreds of complaints during the past few days in connection
with video footage on the Internet that shows people standing on
manatees and trying to ride them. Officials hope to put a stop
to it by alerting the public that law enforcement officers are
watching and are prepared to issue costly citations when they
see people harassing manatees.
Seeking out Citrus County’s warmwater springs,
manatees show up in ever-increasing numbers during the winter
months, attracting thousands of tourists. Tour boats and guides
operate at peak capacity during this time of year, catering to
and assisting visitors eager to see the manatees in their
natural habitat.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission (FWC) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS or
Service) law enforcement officers and biologists work diligently
to protect these animals and are supported in these efforts by
the local community; including tour-boat guides, dive shops and
citizen volunteers.
According to Jim Kraus, the Service’s Crystal
River National Wildlife Refuge manager, “Our position is that
swimming with manatees in local waters is allowable, and limited
animal-initiated contact is acceptable. However, in these
videotapes there is clearly too much of a good thing."
FWS has established interaction guidelines for
how and how not to behave around manatees when in the water.
“We strongly encourage observance of the
established guidelines and need the cooperation of all involved
to maintain a protective environment that balances education
value of these opportunities and the conservation needs of the
animals,” Kraus said. “Passive observation (observing from a
distance) is the best way to interact with manatees and all
wildlife.”
According to the FWS guidelines, if you are
swimming, diving or boating when manatees are present:
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Operate boats at idle and slow speed where
posted speed zones are in effect.
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Do not enter designated manatee sanctuaries
for any reason. Sanctuaries are in effect Nov. 15 - March
31.
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Observe manatees from the surface of the
water and at a distance. Manatees on the bottom are likely
to be resting or feeding.
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Never ride, chase, poke or surround
manatees.
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Never separate a mother and calf or an
individual from the group.
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Avoid excessive noise and splashing that
could disturb bottom-resting manatees.
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Use snorkel gear when attempting to watch
manatees. The sound of scuba gear may cause them to leave
the area.
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Do not feed manatees or give them water.
“The sanctuaries designated in the Crystal and
Homosassa rivers are areas where manatees can choose to be away
from people where they remain undisturbed in order to rest or
conserve energy in warmer water near the springs during cold
spells,” Kraus said. “This is why the Service has roped off part
of the Three Sisters Springs area.”
Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge was
established on Aug. 17, 1983, specifically for the protection of
the manatee. The refuge aids in preserving Florida’s most
significant naturally occurring warmwater haven for manatees and
provides critical habitat for approximately 11 percent of the
nation’s manatee population. The temperature of the water
flowing from more than 30 natural springs remains a constant 72
degrees Fahrenheit.
“Manatees are susceptible to cold and
hypothermia and cannot survive for extended periods when water
temperatures fall below 68 degrees Fahrenheit. These warmwater
springs are essential for manatee survival,” Kraus said.
To see how well manatees cope with boaters and
visitors, some studies have been conducted and others are
ongoing. Research conducted around the Crystal River area since
1990 has shown that the manatees will go to the sanctuaries more
frequently when boat traffic increases. According to FWC
biologists, these studies also noted some manatee behavioral
changes when humans were swimming nearby, including decreased
resting and suckling and increased swimming. It is believed that
some manatees will avoid people altogether and others will leave
the sanctuaries to seek out human contact.
While these studies show that manatees do
respond to boaters and tourists in varying ways, FWS biologists
note that to date no significant problems related to cold stress
or calf separation have been seen in this region.
Kraus is quick to point out that does not mean
harassment of these animals is acceptable.
“Most of the businesses, residents and visitors
understand the value these wildlife opportunities afford them
and comply with established guidelines and law,” Kraus said.
“However, there are some who either are uninformed about or
choose to ignore the law and the guidelines. It’s simple:
passive observation and limited animal-initiated interaction are
acceptable, harassment is not.”
Harassing manatees is illegal under federal and
state laws. In general, harassment is an intentional or
negligent act which significantly disrupts a manatee’s normal
behavior patterns, including resting, feeding and nursing
activity.
Law enforcement officers can cite people for
harassment or for entering the manatee sanctuaries.
FWC’s Division of Law Enforcement routinely conducts targeted
manatee zone enforcement details in all coastal waters of Citrus
County.
“These enforcement details primarily target
speeding vessels in restricted areas,” said Capt. John Burton,
area commander in Crystal River for FWC. “This is where the
likelihood of injury or death is highest.”
To minimize the risk of injuries to manatees,
boaters should: stay in marked channels; wear polarized
sunglasses to improve their in-water vision; obey posted boat
speed zones; use poles, paddles or trolling motors when in close
proximity to manatees; have someone help scan the water when
under way; and realize that manatees often travel in groups or
with their young, so if one is spotted, look for more.
“Boaters should scan the water near or in front
of the boat looking for swirls resembling large footprints, a
repetitive line of half-moon swirls, a mud trail, a snout or a
fluke (tail) breaking the water’s surface,” Burton said.
“FWC also targets complaints of harassment,
fishing and swimming in closed areas. Information from concerned
citizens is used to help provide more effective enforcement and
protection,” Burton said. To report any wildlife law violations,
call 1-888-404-3922. Callers can remain anonymous and be
eligible for a reward if the information leads to an arrest.
“We are committed to protecting the manatee and
all of our natural resources, as well as the public who enjoys
our unique recreational opportunities,” Burton said.
For more information about the Crystal River National Wildlife
Refuge and the manatee sanctuary locations, visit
www.fws.gov/crystalriver/.
Additional information about the manatee and FWC
protection efforts is at: MyFWC.com. Information on FWS manatee
efforts is at
www.fws.gov/northflorida. |
