Endangered Manatees Face a Familiar Threat: Politics
eactions to last month’s announcement by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to reclassify the endangered status of the West Indian manatee
(Trichechus manatus) were mixed at best. Some found the move to be a victory for the species, some criticized the motives behind the action, some thought reclassification would do more harm than good, and some had no idea what any of it meant. All opinions aside, I think we can all agree that it was nice seeing adorable pictures of manatees as we scrolled down our social media feeds.
The intent to reclassify the West Indian manatee as threatened rather than endangered has been proposed before but this time it looks like the move may go through. If so, impacts on manatees, other endangered species, as well as human populations will only be discovered with time. We have few case studies to look to for guidance and, even if we had many examples, it is important to understand that every situation is unique. Regardless of your view, it is good to remember that federal officials and environmental managers must consider the needs of animals, habitats, and numerous groups of people under existing laws to reach these decisions, a responsibility that I do not envy. Fortunately, the Endangered Species Act requires federal agencies to open a 90-day public comment period before further action is taken. I’ve tailored my graduate school curriculum to focus on the conservation and management of marine mammals and I want to provide some background information on what a reclassification could mean for manatees as well as the people that live near or visit them. Hopefully, after reading this article along with doing further research on your own, you’ll be able to give your well informed opinion on the matter.
The West Indian manatee, found in the southern United States, is often called the Florida manatee due to the fact that they are often seen in Florida; individual manatees have been seen as far north as Rhode Island and as far south as South America. The Florida manatee is one of the four living species of sirenians, or sea cows, which are sea-grass eating marine mammals distantly related to elephants. Often found in canals, springs, or along the coast, manatees are slow moving and dependent on warm waters. They are vulnerable to human-related threats such as boat strikes and entanglement of fishing gear as well as natural threats such as cold waters leading to hypothermia and toxic blooms of red algae that cause neurological damage. Occasionally, manatees have been preyed upon by sharks or alligators, but humans remain the most significant cause of manatee deaths, as was the case for the Steller’s sea cow, a 30ft long cousin to the dugong found in the North Pacific which reached extinction in the 1700s. These factors and countless others were not ignored. The manatee received endangered status in 1967, protection from the Marine Mammal Protection Act in 1972 and the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act in 1978, and other local and federal legislation. Some of the protections offered by these laws include protection from interactions with people, reduced speed zones for boats, the implementation of sensors on automatic dams to prevent entrapment, designated critical wildlife areas, and others.
By Marcus Reamer
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