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