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Thriving doesn't mean manatees aren't hurting

By ANDREW SKERRITT
Published April 25, 2006

Call it the Rodney King video of manatee harassment.

Now accessible on the Web, the video, shot by former Manatee Watch volunteers, shows people feeding manatees and boats blocking the free movement of the sea cows in the Crystal River.

It's one thing for wildlife rangers to write tickets to those accused of harassing manatees; to show pictures of manatees scarred by boat propellers. It's something else to show live moving pictures of people breaking the rules in their zeal to bond with the lovable mammals in Homosassa. Conservationist groups want tougher enforcement.

Not surprisingly, dive shop, boat rental and tour operators are unhappy about the video. They say it's unfair. It's hurting business. They say their tours do more to educate people about the manatees than to harm them. They contend that Citrus County has a healthy manatee population. Runoff from pesticides and the destruction of waterfront vegetation also are threats to manatees.

This is the latest in a long-running feud between two groups that are passionate about manatees. They just disagree on how best to show their love.

The purists think manatees are best loved at a distance. They call it passive observation. Take a boat ride and stay in the boat and watch the manatees frolic with their calves. People will pay for the experience.

Citrus County is the only place in the country that allows people to swim with manatees. How does all of the petting, feeding and scratching impact the manatees? Helen Spivey of the Save the Manatee Club said people should be allowed to pet manatees only when the government allows hugging of grizzly bears.

That sums up the problem. The manatee may be too friendly for its own good. The manatee is one water creature that evokes fondness instead of fear.

There's nothing like diving in the waters of the Crystal River and seeing the hulking mammal cruise by like a minisubmarine. It's hard not to reach out and touch.

While petting seems innocent enough, Spivey said, it can harm the mammal indirectly.

Petted and fed manatees get used to us humans, who arrive on boats. Manatees are attracted to boats. Manatees get hit by boats. Last year, boats killed about 80 of the almost 400 manatees found dead in Florida.

Despite those deaths, the manatee population in Citrus County seems to be doing well. During the winter, when manatees are attracted to the warm springs, hundreds can be spotted in Kings Bay. And there is a year-round herd that stays even after the weather warms up.

Summer or winter, though, the sea cow is a cash cow for Citrus County.

More than 20 years ago, a study funded by the U.S. government estimated that manatees generated $6-million a year for Crystal River. Today, there are twice as many dive shops and tour operators plying their trade.

They entice people from all over the state, all over the country - the world even - to visit Citrus County, just to swim with the manatees.

In February, when I went manatee swimming with Bird's Underwater Dive Center, I paid $29.50 for the tour, $20 for a wet suit and snorkel. If I wanted the underwater video of my tour, that would have set me back $30. An underwater DVD of my individual manatee experience cost $40.

On the day of my tour, some of those on the boat were from South Florida, some had come for several days. That means they had slept in local hotels, they had also eaten in local restaurants, not to mention the manatee souvenirs they were carrying home.

Manatees entice people to open their wallets. If they thrive and survive, then it eliminates the need for tougher regulations. Local businesses and ecotourists would love that; conservationists would have less reason to complain. The message of the video, however, is that there's reason to worry. It would be expensive to ignore that.

Andrew Skerritt can be reached at 813 909-4602 or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 4602. His e-mail address is askerritt@sptimes.com

[Last modified April 25, 2006, 01:07:12]