Feds Seek Info on Manatee Crime

[Franziska]

Thanks for this informative & interesting post!

Originally Posted by Manateeman

The crime in this case is simply Endangerment and Harassment.
Disturbing manatees in winter is a life threatening action because conserving energy by remaining still, is their only defense against killing cold.
It was never about what injury the skin of this manatee suffered because marine mammal scientists know manatees have very strong skin and an incredible immunity system usually capable of healing very deep cuts from propellers.
Usually...because the overall physical condition plays an important part.
Winter cold stresses manatees and likely reduces recovery from injury.
Since this event, I’ve spoken with a lot of manatee experts. The consensus is that this particular manatee will survive this crime. Further, that it most likely involved restraining the manatee while it was done. In addition, the disruption most likely was to several manatees rest based on observed manatee behavior in winter.
The crime was not simply about how the lettering was done. As to the issue of wound infection. Any of the attending manatee doctors would have transported this manatee to a manatee hospital immediately if required. This is not to say no serious injury occurred. Manatee are very intelligent and learn where it is safe to rest. Will this incident now change their thinking about the safety of this spring and result in an increased risk of death from cold? Will the trauma of resting disruption and likely physical restraint result in the death of this manatee from cold stress? You just can’t ask a manatee to swim over to the manatee doctors so they can do a thorough physical exam. Removing this manatee would cause injury to the whole group. It takes a half dozen big strong people to get them into a rescue sling and is extremely dangerous to the health of any manatee.
I’ve posted why biologically different species are critical to the efforts of science to preserve our chances of survival. I’ve posted how manatee immune systems played the critical role in the development of a vaccine for papilloma. How we need to learn more about their lung exchange capacity which is 90% vs 10% in humans. I’m not going to ask the moderators to remove personal attacks on me because I simply don’t care. I do hope my posts encourage some to learn more about all the other species on and in the sea and to think about how their survival is linked to our own. Thus...
Happy trails to you.
Captain Mark and his “The bandits left this way Kimosabi “ manatees.

[AA3JY]

Sign is at the popular Bethune Point anchorage along with signage along this portion of the AICW marking this a known Manatee area..but is a frequent speed zone for the ‘Go Fast Crowd’ ..Hopefully with all the news maybe there will be a more positive awareness as well as (speed)enforcement that Fla sorely lacks ..

[Boatyarddog]

Ha, again a post with zero proof.
All 75 charged are well known to Law Enforcement thru facial recognition.
Bad try!! No ANTIFA seen.
SV Cloud Duster

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by brantleychuck

Imagine if someone wrote “ help “. “ save me”. Or “ global warming is killing me”
The news story would have been very different. As well as many responses to it.

Unlikely to be seen, those Types tend to RESPECT wildlife. Not so with the other type.
SV Cloud Duster

[japawil]

Check out this article from USA TODAY:

Actor Dave Bautista offers $20,000 reward in defaced Florida manatee case

https://www.usatoday.com/story/enter...da/4175677001/

Add another $20,000 to the reward.

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by japawil

Check out this article from USA TODAY:

Actor Dave Bautista offers $20,000 reward in defaced Florida manatee case

https://www.usatoday.com/story/enter...da/4175677001/

Add another $20,000 to the reward.

Heroic,
It's high time for some JUSTICE for wildlife and environment.
SV Cloud Duster

[AA3JY]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/two-manat...015548837.html

[AA3JY]

https://www.yahoo.com/huffpost/guard...040310201.html

[endlesspursuit]

Originally Posted by AA3JY

https://www.yahoo.com/news/two-manat...015548837.html

This is what you people should be pissed off about. Way more Manatees are killed or injured by boats than someone writing Trump on the algae of one.
And just to set the record a little straighter. From someone who has spend their entire life in Florida and around the water as long as I have been aware. Manatees that are in the river on the east coast or the ICW on the west when its winter and 65 degree water are very sluggish. Those that move into the springs where its 72 degrees all the time or move into the power plant discharges where it is warmer are more active. So I really doubt the disturbance to the affected manatee is as severe as the guy living in Maine would make you think. Not saying that people shouldn't leave them alone but if you want to put up a reward put it up for the person who killed these two. I hope they weren't the ones that were at my place in LTK a few weeks ago. It was mom, dad ,and jr. Super friendly. They swam right up to the seawall to say hello.

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by endlesspursuit

This is what you people should be pissed off about. Way more Manatees are killed or injured by boats than someone writing Trump on the algae of one.
And just to set the record a little straighter. From someone who has spend their entire life in Florida and around the water as long as I have been aware. Manatees that are in the river on the east coast or the ICW on the west when its winter and 65 degree water are very sluggish. Those that move into the springs where its 72 degrees all the time or move into the power plant discharges where it is warmer are more active. So I really doubt the disturbance to the affected manatee is as severe as the guy living in Maine would make you think. Not saying that people shouldn't leave them alone but if you want to put up a reward put it up for the person who killed these two. I hope they weren't the ones that were at my place in LTK a few weeks ago. It was mom, dad ,and jr. Super friendly. They swam right up to the seawall to say hello.

Looks like the Fed's differ in that opinion.
ANY Harassment is Illegal.
SV Cloud Duster

[Manateeman]

Dear Endless P. If you read my prior posts carefully, I think you will find a statement about the word on the manatee. It just does not matter to me what was written and I’d venture to say, had no relevance to any of the experts who examined this manatee. It’s winter and their only defense against death from cold is to remain as quiet as possible to reduce spending energy which they cannot replace because away from a source of warm water, they get too cold to find food and their digestion slows down so less and less becomes bioavailable for energy.
Disturbing them can kill them. That’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. The fact is why the law specifically states “disturbed”.
I was privileged to be asked to write part of the law protecting manatees.
Your post referenced Maine. I spent over 20 years in Florida. That’s where we are now. I kinda think you like manatees. I’m not sure why my post upset you to the point you needed to single me out. I did not indicate anything about the person or persons who committed this crime, nor what should be the appropriate response from enforcement. Most of my posts on manatees try to explain to those on the water, about why protecting manatees is in our interest.
In particular, I have written many posts about papilloma and what role the study of the immune system of manatees had to do with the development of a vaccine for this virus.
The reward was recently increased by $ 20,000. I’m not going to comment anything about this money because it simply is not my money. If Federal Law Enforcement finds the perpetrators and brings them to court I’m pretty sure the most qualified manatee experts will testify “disturbing “ the manatees put them at significant risk of death from exposure. This was the factual core of my post and not just an opinion. I do think ...you kinda like manatees, an opinion I’m happy to post.
Happy trails to you.
Captain Mark and his “pass the hot rum and cider” manatee crew

[vjsimone]

Originally Posted by Manateeman

" carving TRUMP on the back of a manatee".

Carved ?
Sounds like someone wiped the algae off the manatee's back.
Yes, still harassment, but also fake news here...

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by japawil

Check out this article from USA TODAY:

Actor Dave Bautista offers $20,000 reward in defaced Florida manatee case

https://www.usatoday.com/story/enter...da/4175677001/

Add another $20,000 to the reward.

Translation...free publicity that he is unlikely to ever pay out.

If he was really worried about manatees, he would put that money towards paying for overtime for enforcement officers at areas where they are known to congregate but get hit by boats regularly.

[lestersails]

Originally Posted by Dave22q

Having swum with manatees at Blue Springs I can personally attest to the fact that they are not disturbed by the presence of people nearby. It is obvious that any above average law school student could beat a prosecutor who is stupid enough to actually bring charges. I repeat, this is just more fake news.

Wow, just wow. Completely boggles the mind to read things like this.

[endlesspursuit]

Mark, you are right. We really love the manatees here. And yes we agree that people should leave them alone. Period. I just want people to know there are way worse ways of harassing animals than wiping not carving words on their backs. And since your apparently a manatee expert thought you might like to know that the manatees in the keys don't seem to mind 72 degree water or so. We had three in our Gulf side canal a couple of weeks ago. The gulf is several degrees colder than ocean side. So much so that I move my boat oceanside to clean the bottom. So just my observation but I would think that if it really bothered them they would just move a couple miles to the ocean side and stay there during the winter. Now lets get whoever killed the two up by Key Largo. Peace.