Infuriating Manatee Video

[The Publisher]

We have had an opportunity to dive with Birds Adventures in Crystal Springs, Florida and dive in Three Sisters springs in Crystal River, the place where this video is shot.

Birds has a mandatory briefing video called "Minding Manatee Manners" that explains without confusion exactly what you can and cannot do when interacting with these magnificent wild animals.

I personally thought the Manatee Manners video was just common sense but time seems to always prove that sense is not so common, and this video here demonstrates it.

The perpetrators here look like teens and early 20's types, not divers.

LiveLeak.com - Manatee Harassment Video Leads to Investigation

[amtrosie]

I believe there is a law prohibiting such behaviour. Go after the poster and from there to the idiots doing the crap.

[acelockco]

I am not exactly sure what the problem is. I know you are most likely not supposed to interact with them so much, but unless I missed something I didn't see anything that seemed that bad. It looked like a bunch of kids trying to pet them like they are puppies. They surely did not run them over with their boat, which from what I know is the big issue.

[shinek]

According to the posting itself, Florida Fish & Wildlife are on the case, we'll see if anything comes of it. Interesting that it states "several enthusiastic divers" whereas nobody in the video had scuba gear and only a couple of them even had a mask or fins on. My guess is it's just tourists who saw the animals, had little idea they were doing anything very wrong and so just jumped in to enjoy the moment. Hopefully they will see some comments regarding the posting and think twice next time. Who knows, maybe the Fish & Wildlife guys will have a few words.

Manatee Harassment Video Leads to Investigation
Last weekend, dozens of manatees jammed into the sanctuary at Three Sisters Springs, and some overflowed outside the sanctuary's protection. Several enthusiastic divers in the water for a manatee encounter grabbed at, walked on and rode some of the manatees - in violation of every state and federal rule aimed at protecting the marine mammals.

The video is prompting promises of new resolve from the agencies charged with keeping manatees safe. Kenneth Haddad, executive director for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, was pledged that the incident will be investigated.

[acelockco]

Wow, the video does not look bad, but the words sound like a crime. Just goes to show you how the media blows everything up. Seriously, I did not see any Manatee abuse there at all. None of them were hurt in any way. I understand why the rules are in place, and I am not saying the rules should not be there either, but come on there are people intentionally killing animals illegally, go after them.

[The Publisher]

I would agree that the manatee's aren't remotely physically hurt by the activity shown compared to being hit by boat propellers, but I think what is at stake is we have an endangered species that needs to winter in this area to survive.

With their survival at stake, doing things that would make them avoid the area is a threat to their existence as a species, and trying to boisterously ride them like a horse certainly risks them not wanting to interact with humans.

Anthropologists debate about what motivates our unique human experience where we want to touch and communicate with wild animals, but to do anything that could result in the government stepping in and prohibiting a rare opportunity to interact and touch a wild endangered animal that for many is a spiritual experience would be a shame.

Here is the government's Manatee Manners video.

I am rarely a fan of ANYTHING the government does but this video is right on.

http://www.fws.gov/video/movQuickTim...56K_stream.mov