Save Three Sisters Springs for Manatees!

Show your support for city’s grant application

Three Sisters Springs is a complex of three spring areas that help feed Kings Bay, the headwaters of Crystal River in Citrus County, Florida. These beautiful springs are one of the most important natural warm-water refuges for endangered manatees in the state of Florida and a haven for birds, fish, plants, and other wildlife.

The city of Crystal River is applying for a Florida Communities Trust grant of up to $6.6 million to buy the Three Sisters property and the Florida Department of Community Affairs needs to receive letters by May 7th to show public support for the purchase.

The current owners plan to develop the 57 acres of land adjacent to Three Sisters Springs to create multi-family residences and remove spring water to be bottled. However, these same owners have also stated that they would be willing to sell the property for the right price.

Get more information about Three Sisters Springs.

Watch a video highlighting the beauty of Three Sisters Springs.

What You Can Do:

1. Please send a letter or email to the Florida Department of Community Affairs expressing your support for the City of Crystal River’s grant application for funds to acquire the Three Sisters property. Be sure to include your name and mailing address. Letters or emails must be received by May 7th!

Sample message:

I support the City of Crystal River’s grant application for Florida Communities Trust funds to acquire the Three Sisters Springs property. These springs, which feed the headwaters of the Crystal River, are an important natural warm-water refuge for the endangered Florida manatee and are a haven for birds, plants, fish, and other wildlife.

Land acquisition of the springs and vulnerable parts of the spring basin is an important protection strategy to help combat rapidly growing threats and preserve them so future generations may know the beauty of these outstanding springs and the endangered manatees that winter there.

Email subject line: I Support Three Sisters Acquisition

Send to:

Ken Reecy, Community Program Manager
Department of Community Affairs
Division of Housing and Community Development
Florida Communities Trust
2555 Shumard Oak Boulevard
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2100
Email: ken.reecy [at] dca.state.fl.us

2. Make a donation now so future generations may know the beauty of these outstanding springs and the endangered manatees that winter there.

3. Please forward this email to as many people as you can.

Thank you for your help on this important issue for manatees!

Sign up for our free Paddle Tales E-Newsletter: Go to www.savethemanatee.org/enews_signup.htm

Our postal address is:

500 N. Maitland Ave.
Maitland, Florida 32751
United States

About SMC

Save the Manatee Club is a nonprofit organization founded in 1981 by former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham and singer Jimmy Buffett. To learn more about manatees and our work, go to www.savethemanatee.org

Join Us!

Adopt-A-Manatee and join Save the Manatee Club. Your contribution will support our work to help protect endangered manatees and their habitat. For more information, go to www.savethemanatee.org/adoptpag.htm

Pass It Along

Help spread the word about manatees! Please forward this action alert to your family and friends. If you got this message from a friend, sign up to receive our Action Alerts at our Take Action page at www.savethemanatee.org/action.htm

Questions?

You can get updates on Action Alert issues by visiting the Take Action page of our web site. If you have additional questions, email us at action [at] savethemanatee.org

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts save the manatee club manatees wildlife conservation environment environmental environmentalism environmentalist Three Sisters Springs Florida Crystal River

Urge Governor Crist To “Fix The System”
Final Downlisting Vote Scheduled for December 5th Meeting
Please Attend or Send a Quick Online Letter

In September, with your help, we won a huge temporary victory for manatees! Governor Charlie Crist stepped in and asked the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to postpone their vote to downlist manatees from “Endangered” to “Threatened” status. He pointed to the record-setting mortality in 2006 and to the need for a better method to estimate the manatee population.

Your e-mails to the governor were powerful and helped to convince him to take a brave stand for manatees. But now, Governor Crist is under intense pressure from go-fast boating and development interests to fast-track the manatee’s downlisting. The vote to downlist manatees in Florida is scheduled again for the Commission’s December 5th meeting.

The Issue: The FWC is using a classification system to downlist manatees that desperately needs to be revised. Proving our point, the IUCN – World Conservation Union – a world authority on endangered species – recently classified the Florida manatee as “Endangered” using the exact criteria the FWC has adopted for their “Threatened” category. Unless the Commission changes its flawed listing rule, most of Florida’s imperiled species will face increased risks as a result of losing protections afforded by their current listing status.

* Read a letter to Governor Crist from Save the Manatee Club and other organizations representing over 21 million people (pdf).

What You Can Do:

1. Act Now! Please attend the FWC Commission meeting on December 5th in Key Largo, FL to show your support for manatees. If you plan to attend, please call Janice Nearing at Save the Manatee Club at 1-800-432-5646 or e-mail jnearing [at] savethemanatee.org.

Marriott Key Largo
103800 Overseas Hwy.
Key Largo, FL 33037
Phone: 305-453-0582
Date: December 5, 2007
Time: Please plan to arrive by 9:00 a.m.

2. If you can’t attend the meeting, please take a few moments of your time to send an online letter to Governor Crist and FWC Commission Chairman Rodney Barreto, asking them to reject the downlisting of the Florida manatee and fix the state’s flawed classification system. This will help to ensure that ALL the state’s imperiled species – including manatees – are correctly classified and receive the protections they desperately need. It’s quick and easy!

www.savethemanatee.org/actionalert.cfm?id=20

If you prefer to send a personal message, contact information for Governor Crist and Chairman Barreto is listed below.

3. Ask your friends and family members to send the letter.

4. Make a donation now to help us take whatever actions are necessary to ensure that manatees are protected.

Contact Information:

Governor Charlie Crist
PL-05 The Capitol
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
Phone: 850-488-7146
Fax: 850-487-0801
Email: Charlie.Crist [at] MyFlorida.com

Chairman Rodney Barreto
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
620 South Meridian Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600
Phone: 850-487-3796
Fax: (850) 921-5786
E-mail: Commissioners [at] MyFWC.com

Thank you for your help on this important issue for manatees!

Sign up for our free Paddle Tales E-Newsletter: Go to www.savethemanatee.org/enews_signup.htm

Our postal address is:

500 N. Maitland Ave.
Maitland, Florida 32751
United States

About SMC

Save the Manatee Club is a nonprofit organization founded in 1981 by former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham and singer Jimmy Buffett. To learn more about manatees and our work, go to www.savethemanatee.org

Join Us!

Adopt-A-Manatee and join Save the Manatee Club. Your contribution will support our work to help protect endangered manatees and their habitat. For more information, go to www.savethemanatee.org/adoptpag.htm

Pass It Along

Help spread the word about manatees! Please forward this action alert to your family and friends. If you got this message from a friend, sign up to receive our Action Alerts at our Take Action page at www.savethemanatee.org/action.htm

Questions?

You can get updates on Action Alert issues by visiting the Take Action page of our web site. If you have additional questions, email us at action [at] savethemanatee.org

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts Save the Manatee Club manatees wildlife conservation florida Governor Charlie Crist Charlie Crist Governor Crist fwc lorida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission downlist endangered endangered species threatened threatened species

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Save the Manatee Club – action [at] savethemanatee.org
Date: Sep 11, 2007 3:51 PM
Subject: Gov. Crist Asks to Postpone Manatee Reclassification

BREAKING NEWS!

Florida Governor Crist Asks State Agency to Postpone Endangered Manatee’s Reclassification

Tomorrow, September 12th, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is scheduled to vote on whether to reclassify the manatee at the state level from “endangered” to “threatened” status based on listing/delisting rule language that environmental groups have continually called greatly flawed, and that was objected to by numerous scientists worldwide. Further, environmentalists point to the state’s own findings that 50% of the statewide manatee population could be lost in the next 45 years.

Calling the manatee one of Florida’s beloved natural resources, Florida Governor Charlie Crist has issued a letter to Rodney Barreto, Chair of the FWC, asking the Commission to postpone the vote on whether to downlist the species, “…given the need for a better method to estimate the population of the Florida Manatee, and the record 417 manatee deaths in 2006, I believe a more prudent course of action at this time would be to postpone consideration of the proposed change in the status of this species.”

View the full text of Governor Crist’s letter (pdf).

Patrick Rose, Save the Manatee Club’s Executive Director, applauds Governor Crist and expresses his deep appreciation to the governor for his action. Pat also thanks all of you for your help in making this happen. Those e-mails, letters and phone calls DO help!

What You Can Do:

Please contact the Governor’s office and add your thanks to Pat’s (see contact information below).

* Thank Governor Crist for asking the Commission to postpone their vote to downlist manatees.

* Urge Governor Crist to revisit Florida’s listing/delisting rule criteria for imperiled species in order to give endangered manatees and other imperiled plants and animals a fair shake.

Please Note: If you were planning to attend the FWC meeting in St. Petersburg tomorrow, please do not cancel your plans. It is still important to show strong support for manatees. If you planned to speak, the Commission will still take your testimony.

Governor Charlie Crist
PL-05 The Capitol
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
Phone: 850-488-7146
Fax: 850-487-0801
E-mail: Charlie.Crist [at] MyFlorida.com

Thank you so much for your help and support for manatees!

Sign up for our free Paddle Tales E-Newsletter: Go to www.savethemanatee.org/enews_signup.htm

Our postal address is:

500 N. Maitland Ave.
Maitland, Florida 32751
United States

About SMC

Save the Manatee Club is a nonprofit organization founded in 1981 by former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham and singer Jimmy Buffett. To learn more about manatees and our work, go to www.savethemanatee.org

Join Us!

Adopt-A-Manatee and join Save the Manatee Club. Your contribution will support our work to help protect endangered manatees and their habitat. For more information, go to www.savethemanatee.org/adoptpag.htm

Pass It Along

Help spread the word about manatees! Please forward this action alert to your family and friends. If you got this message from a friend, sign up to receive our Action Alerts at our Take Action page at www.savethemanatee.org/action.htm

Questions?

You can get updates on Action Alert issues by visiting the Take Action page of our web site. If you have additional questions, email us at action [at] savethemanatee.org

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts save the manatee club manatees wildlife conservation florida fwc Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Charlie Crist Governor Crist endangered endangered species esa endangered species act

Audubon: Final Push for Renewable Electricity
Please ask your Representative to support the Udall-Platts amendment

Center for Biological Diversity: Keep Mercenary Training Camp Out of San Diego Backcountry!
Blackwater has proposed establishing a military training camp in eastern San Diego County

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS): Help Pass the Dog Fighting Prohibition Act
Urge your reps to co-sponsor and support passage of S. 1880/H.R. 3219, the Dog Fighting Prohibition Act, and any legislation to crack down on dogfighting

In Defense of Animals (IDA): Urge USDA to Move Maggie to Sanctuary Before Winter
The Alaska Zoo Board Has Made Its Decision to Move Maggie; Please help make it happen before winter–write the USDA

In Defense of Animals (IDA): Survival of Wolves in Northern Rockies Jeopardized
“Take Action” by Aug. 6 to protect them from hunters

In Defense of Animals (IDA): Thank California retirement community for sparing deer
California Retirement Community Chooses to Spare Deer; Thank The Villages for using humane methods to manage wildlife

Oceana: Tell Congress: Protect Our Sharks!
The threat of shark extinction in a number of species is very real, and its consequences could be potentially disastrous to the world’s oceans.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): Sign the Statement Against Dogfighting
I join Russell Simmons, The Rev. Al Sharpton, and Ingrid Newkirk in supporting animal protection groups and law enforcement officials in their fight against dogfighting in our local communities.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): Defend Animals From Environmental Defense
The environmental group Environmental Defense (ED), notorious for pushing animal testing, is once again calling for a massive animal testing program

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): CDW Exploits Chimpanzees for Marketing Gimmick
Ask that CDW pledge never to use chimpanzees in its advertisements again.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): Tell Supervalu to Stop Abusing Animals!
Tell Supervalu’s executives to follow the lead of Whole Foods, Safeway, and others and start improving the lives and deaths of the animals killed for its stores and also to stop selling foie gras.

Save the Manatee Club: Ask Governor Crist to Appoint New FWC Commissioners
Ensure Balanced and Science-Based Leadership on Manatee Protection Issues

Trust for America’s Health: Urge Congress to Combat Obesity and Support Federal Nutrition Programs
Urge your Senator to act now to combat the obesity epidemic by supporting federal nutrition programs during the reauthorization of the Farm Bill

The Wilderness Society: House to Vote on Energy Reforms
Urge your representative to support energy reform bill H.R. 3221, especially the oil and gas management reform provisions; also ask your Representative to support an amendment from Representatives Tom Udall (D-NM 3rd) and Todd Plats (R-PA 19th)

Newsletters

The Animals Voice eNewsletter, August 2, 2007
AnimalsVoice.com is the premiere online resource for animal rights and its defenders

Campaign for America’s Wilderness: Your Wilderness, August 2007
The Campaign for America’s Wilderness is singularly focused on achieving lasting protection for threatened wild lands

Compassion Over Killing (COK): Compassionate Action: August 1, 2007
NBC4′s “Veggie Options,” Nat’l Veggie Hot Dog Day updates and op-ed, and more!

In Defense of Animals (IDA): eNews, 8-1-07
IDA Action Alerts, Campaign News & Updates

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): Weekly eNews, August 2, 2007
Sign the Dogfighting Petition; Pleather Yourself Contest

Save the Manatee Club: Paddle Tales eNewsletter, August 2007
Every other month, you’ll get the scoop on current manatee news (plus great photos), meet a manatee from our Adopt-A-Manatee program, discover fun games or activities, learn about special offers and events, and more!

Vegan Outreach: E-Newsletter, Aug. 1, 2007
Notes from Vegan Outreach

Petitions

Professionals Against Foie Gras – Philadelphia

Tell the Senate to Support the Massachusetts Ocean Act!

Your Daily Click-Through Reminders

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare environment environmental environmentalism environmentalist green nature action alerts activism link dump link roundup link farm link sanctuary click through sites click to donate care2 the animal rescue site the rainforest site newsletter news in the news Compassion Over Killing COK Compassionate Action vegetarian vegan events petitions the petition site foie gras Philadelphia In Defense of Animals IDA elephants zoos Alaska Zoo wolves Northern Rockies hunters hunting wildlife management wildlife management deer Vegan Outreach Trust for America’s Health Farm Bill 2007 Farm Bill obesity nutrition meat Campaign for America’s Wilderness manatees Save the Manatee Club Paddle Tales conservation Center for Biological Diversity Blackwater war on terra San Diego The Animals Voice Humane Society of the United States HSUS Michael Vick dog canine dogfighting animal fighting Audubon Renewable Electricity People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals PETA Supervalu Environmental Defense ED animal testing animal research animal experimentation vivisection CDW chimps chimpanzees animal actors Oceana sharks the wilderness society oceans

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA): Federal: The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act Reintroduced in Congress

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA): Missouri: “Pet Friendly” License Plates Now Available

DawnWatch: MSN on budget and health benefits of vegetarianism 7/26/07

DawnWatch: Shocking poultry slaughterhouse footage on Fox and on A&E’s “The Two Coreys” reality show 7/25 – 7/29/07

DawnWatch: Adidas lobbies to overturn Supreme Court upheld Kangaroo shoe ban NY Times, LA Times, NPR — 7/24 -7/25/07

DawnWatch: NY Times lead story “Bringing Moos and Oinks Into the Food Debate.” 7/25/07

Earthjustice: URGENT: Stop the Countdown to Wolves’ Slaughter

Friends of Animals (FoA): Help Stop the Bush Administration’s Latest Debacle: Aerial Gunning of Greater Yellowstone Wolves

In Defense of Animals (IDA): Urge Congress to stop oil drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

In Defense of Animals (IDA): Atlanta Falcons Quarterback Faces Felony Dog Fighting Charges / Urge the NFL to suspend Michael Vick from play under strong suspicion of criminal activity

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): Tell Nike to Drop Vick NOW!

Rainforest Action Network (RAN): Tell Ontario to Stop First Nation Exploitation!

Save the Manatee Club: Ask Governor Crist to Appoint New FWC Commissioners / Ensure Balanced and Science-Based Leadership on Manatee Protection Issues

Society for Animal Protective Legislation (SAPL): Contact Legislators on Behalf of Animals Used for Research NOW

The Wilderness Society: Help protect community forests and restore wildlife habitat

Working Assets / Act for Change: Tell Nike to Cancel Michael Vick’s Endorsement Contract

Campaign Updates, Press Releases, etc.

Bread for the World: Fairness Amendment to Farm Bill Fails in House; Fight For Meaningful Farm Reform Continues

Corporate Accountability International: Pepsi Agrees to Reveal Sources of Aquafina Bottled Water / In Response to Think Outside the Bottle Campiagn, Agrees to Print ”Public Water Source” on Labels

Dogs Deserve Better (DDB): Michael Vick & Dogfighting

Carnivals

Carnival of Hurricane Relief #98 (July 26, 2007 @ One Man Band)

Newsletters

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA): News Alert, July 27, 2007

In Defense of Animals (IDA): eNews, July 25, 2007

Petitions

STOP PUPPY MILLS!!!

CLARK COUNTY DOGS DESERVE BETTER

Stop Cruelty Taking Place on the Water

Help save Giraffes

Your Daily Click-Through Reminders

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare environment environmental environmentalism environmentalist green nature action alerts activism link dump link roundup link farm link sanctuary click through sites click to donate care2 the animal rescue site the rainforest site Dogs Deserve Better DDB Working Assets Act for Change ASPCA American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals dawnwatch Karen Dawn Earthjustice Friends of Animals FoA In Defense of Animals IDA People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals PETA Rainforest Action Network RAN Save the Manatee Club Society for Animal Protective Legislation SAPL The Wilderness Society Bread for the World Corporate Accountability International The Petition Site newsletters petitions campaign updates carnivals carnival of hurricane relief

In This Issue
* Please Don’t Downlist Manatees!
* Adopt-A-Manatee for Dads & Grads
* Meet Lenny
* Vote for Manatees!
* Fast Friends
* Heavy Thinking
* Chew on This Q & A
* Miss Her Now Music DVD

Please Don’t Downlist Manatees!

Despite record mortality and shrinking habitat, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service recently recommended downlisting manatees only 10 months after Florida voted to take the same action on the state level.

You can help!

Please send two quick letters:

I oppose federal downlisting >>

I oppose state downlisting & want a stronger management plan >>

Adopt-A-Manatee for Dads or Grads & Get a Free T-Shirt

It’s a dilemma. What do you get for the world’s greatest dad or the planet’s smartest grad? Why not adopt a manatee? For $25, you’ll get an adoption certificate, photo, and biography of a real manatee. And if you adopt a manatee for $35 or more, you’ll get a free t-shirt to boot. That beats a tie or a pen any day. Go >>

Meet Lenny: Blue Spring’s Resident “Couch Potato” Manatee

Manatees are animals your dad might relate to. Large, gentle, and slow-moving, most of their time is spent eating and sleeping. And if you were to adopt a manatee for your dad, you might select Lenny. Affectionately known as Blue Spring’s resident “couch potato” manatee, Lenny seems to prefer rest to all other activities. Read more >>

Vote for Manatees!

World Champions is a new book that features heartwarming stories of 25 charities, and SMC is one of the featured organizations. Starting June 1, you can show how much you love manatees by casting your vote for the Club! The winning charity will receive 20% of gross sales and future residual payments.

Vote now >>

Learn more >>

Fast Friends

It was Earth Day 2002, and Save the Manatee Club needed help to staff an education table. Always a busy time for environmental organizations, that’s how SMC volunteers Aimee Krivan and Sharon Smeenk found themselves teamed up to cover the event for an entire day. The two women had never met, but they hit it off right away. Read more >>

Heavy Thinking

How many humans does it take to equal the weight of an average manatee? Find out and get some manatee fun facts, too. Go >>

Miss Her Now Music DVD

Miss Her Now (Or Miss Her Forever) is a song about manatees by Keith Hope, a Florida singer and songwriter. Features beautiful underwater footage. $10.95 Buy now >> (go to Books and Videos)

Chew on This!

Do manatees have teeth?
Megan Miller, California

A. Manatees do indeed have teeth. In fact, one of the most interesting things about manatees is that they keep replacing their teeth. Read more >>

Send Us Your Question About Manatees

If we choose it for the next Paddle Tales E-Newsletter, we’ll send you a FREE Miss Her Now Music DVD. Send to education [at] savethemanatee.org and be sure to include your name and regular mailing address.

Sign up for our E-mail Action Alert Team! Go to www.savethemanatee.org/action.htm

Our postal address is:

500 N. Maitland Ave.
Maitland, Florida 32751
United States

About SMC

Save the Manatee Club is a nonprofit organization founded in 1981 by former Florida governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham and singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett. To learn more about manatees and our work, go to www.savethemanatee.org

Join Us!

Adopt-A-Manatee and join Save the Manatee Club. Your contribution will support our work to help protect endangered manatees and their habitat. For more information, go to www.savethemanatee.org/adoptpag.htm

Pass It Along!

Help spread the word about manatees! Please forward this e-newsletter to your family and friends. If you got this message from a friend, sign up to receive our e-newsletter at www.savethemanatee.org/enews_signup.htm

Questions?

You can get more manatee news, information, and special features by visiting our web site at www.savethemanatee.org If you have additional questions, please email us at education [at] savethemanatee.org

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare environment environmental environmentalism environmentalist action alerts Save the Manatee Club Paddle Tales wildlife conservation manatees florida downlisting delisting endangered species esa endangered species act U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service USFWS father’s day gifts World Champions books poll vote

Please Don’t Downlist Manatees!

On Endangered Species Day, Take Action to Protect Them

The bottom line here is that the manatee is not safe from extinction, no matter how officials play the numbers game, and significant threats on its survival continue to haunt it.

–Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel

On Friday, May 18th, Americans from all across the country will celebrate Endangered Species Day. But as we pay tribute to our nation’s endangered species, manatees are facing their biggest threat ever. Recently, after conducting a 5-year review of the manatee’s federal status, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Service) recommended downlisting them from “endangered” to “threatened.”

We need you to help manatees by sending a quick online letter now!

Why aren’t we celebrating the news we have fought for so many years to hear? Because these actions are politically driven. With the market for coastal land skyrocketing, powerful groups have been lobbying for a long time to change the manatee’s status.

According to the Service’s own Recovery Plan, manatees should NOT be downlisted until deaths from boat strikes and the destruction of habitat are brought under control. But these threats are increasing. And the Service ignored a recent report from the U.S. Geological Survey that stated: “Any increase in watercraft-related mortality substantially increases the risk of the Florida manatee population reaching the point of no probable recovery.”

What You Can Do:

1. Act Now! Please let decision-makers know you strongly oppose the manatee’s downlisting at this time. Click on the link below to get more information on this issue and to send a quick and easy online letter to Dirk Kempthorne, U.S. Secretary of the Interior; H. Dale Hall, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and Florida Governor Charlie Crist.

www.savethemanatee.org/actionalert.cfm?id=14

2. Ask all your friends and family members to send the letter.

3. Make a donation now to help us take whatever actions are necessary, including legal action, to ensure that manatees are protected to the full extent of federal and state law. Please be as generous as possible so we can have the resources to act decisively.

Thanks for your help on this important issue for manatees!

Get More Info:

* Read press articles on the manatee downlisting issue.

* Find an Endangered Species Day event near you.

* Thank your senator for unanimously declaring Friday, May 18th, Endangered Species Day.

Sign up for our free Paddle Tales E-Newsletter: Go to www.savethemanatee.org/enews_signup.htm

Our postal address is:

500 N. Maitland Ave.
Maitland, Florida 32751
United States

About SMC

Save the Manatee Club is a nonprofit organization founded in 1981 by former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham and singer Jimmy Buffett. To learn more about manatees and our work, go to www.savethemanatee.org

Join Us!

Adopt-A-Manatee and join Save the Manatee Club. Your contribution will support our work to help protect endangered manatees and their habitat. For more information, go to www.savethemanatee.org/adoptpag.htm

Pass It Along

Help spread the word about manatees! Please forward this action alert to your family and friends. If you got this message from a friend, sign up to receive our Action Alerts at our Take Action page at www.savethemanatee.org/action.htm

Questions?

You can get updates on Action Alert issues by visiting the Take Action page of our web site. If you have additional questions, email us at action [at] savethemanatee.org

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts save the manatee club manatees endangered species esa endangered species act may 18 endangered species day holidays observances downlist U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service fws wildlife conservation

Ask State Agency to Make Manatee Management Plan Stronger

Urge Revision of Imperiled Species Listing/Delisting Rule

When the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC) adopted new imperiled species listing/delisting criteria, they incorporated the international criteria for “endangered,” but they elected to call those species that met the endangered criteria “threatened” instead of “endangered.” As a result, the FWCC voted to downlist manatees to “threatened” status. We are highly critical of this move, as are a host of other environmental organizations and eminent scientists.

Now, the FWCC has drafted a Manatee Management Plan (Plan), which is the final step in the species’ reclassification from “endangered” to “threatened.” However, the current Plan will not ensure adequate protection for manatees and, together with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s recent recommendation to also downlist manatees at the federal level, the Plan will greatly hamper our chance of securing the manatee’s future in the face of increasing human-related threats.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recommended downlisting the manatee due to political pressure. An April editorial in The Bradenton Herald said, “The declassification is not being made because the manatee has made a ‘landmark’ recovery, as the USFWS’ field supervisor asserted. Rather, it is a concession to the boat, dock-building and development interests that have lobbied for relaxing manatee protection rules for years. In the anti-environment posture of the Bush administration facing term limits, it has finally found a friendly reception.”

The two greatest threats to the manatee’s long-term survival are:

* A growing number of boats on Florida’s already dangerous waters

* The probable future loss of both natural and artificial warm water habitat.

Ironically, because of these threats, both the state and federal governments are projecting substantial to catastrophic decline in the manatee population unless strong new protections are implemented.

What You Can Do:

1. Act Now! Click on the link below to send a quick and easy online letter to FWCC Executive Director Ken Haddad and Florida Governor Charlie Crist, asking them to revise Florida’s imperiled species listing/delisting rule and to retain the manatee’s current “endangered” status. In addition, the letter asks them to make the Manatee Management Plan much stronger.

www.savethemanatee.org/actionalert.cfm?id=15

2. The formal comment period for the Management Plan is from May 7 – June 14. Please send the letter immediately and ask your family and friends to do the same.

Thank you for your help on this important issue for manatees!

Sign up for our free Paddle Tales E-Newsletter: Go to www.savethemanatee.org/enews_signup.htm

Our postal address is:

500 N. Maitland Ave.
Maitland, Florida 32751
United States

About SMC

Save the Manatee Club is a nonprofit organization founded in 1981 by former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham and singer Jimmy Buffett. To learn more about manatees and our work, go to www.savethemanatee.org.

Join Us!

Adopt-A-Manatee and join Save the Manatee Club. Your contribution will support our work to help protect endangered manatees and their habitat. For more information, go to www.savethemanatee.org/adoptpag.htm.

Pass It Along

Help spread the word about manatees! Please forward this action alert to your family and friends. If you got this message from a friend, sign up to receive our Action Alerts at our Take Action page at www.savethemanatee.org/action.htm.

Questions?

You can get updates on Action Alert issues by visiting the Take Action page of our web site. If you have additional questions, email us at action [at] savethemanatee.org.

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare environment environmental environmentalism environmentalist action alerts save the manatee club manatees florida fwcc Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Manatee Management Plan downlisting endangered endangered species conservation wildlife

Help End Manatee Harassment in Citrus County, Florida!

Videos show people grabbing, walking on, and riding manatees

Each winter, 80,000 – 100,000 people visit the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge to snorkel and dive with endangered manatees, and thousands more go to swim with manatees in the Blue Waters area of the Homosassa River.

Inevitably, many of these visitors want to touch the manatees or interact with them in some way. Manatees are protected under the Endangered Species Act, so grabbing them, feeding, surrounding, or chasing them can be considered harassment and is therefore illegal. But local, state, and federal law enforcement officers are limited in numbers and unable to adequately monitor the area, so there are many incidents of manatee harassment each year.

Recently, a video shot at the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge shows people grabbing, walking on, and riding manatees. And the St. Petersburg Times has featured several news articles documenting the manatee harassment in this area (see more articles and video below).

Manatee Abuse Caught on Tape
Read an article in the St. Petersburg Times
See the video mentioned in the article

Manatees need these wildlife refuges for survival in the winter. When people try to touch or pursue manatees, they can alter the manatee’s behavior in the wild, perhaps causing them to leave a warm water area, which makes them susceptible to potential harm. Also, people can inadvertently separate a mother and calf by trying to touch manatees. Manatee calves depend on the care of their mothers for up to two years, so a calf that is separated from his or her mother could ultimately die without her.

What You Can Do:

Citrus County, where both the refuge and Blue Waters area are located, is the only place in Florida where swimming with manatees is allowed. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) grants special use permits to tour businesses that operate in waters around the refuge, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) allows public access to part of the Blue Waters area, even when seasonal no-entry zones are in effect.

The USFWS is currently working on a new comprehensive management plan for the refuge, and the FWC executive director has promised that the recent harassment incident will be investigated.

Please write to staff at both of these agencies and let them know your thoughts on the issue. In addition, ask them to

* Protect the manatees in the refuge and Blue Waters area by expanding the no-entry sanctuary areas.

* Limit the number of people allowed near the sanctuary areas in the winter, unless harassment stops.

* Adopt a strict “no touch” policy when it comes to manatees in ALL areas of Florida.

* Require educational training for all those who may dive at these areas in the winter.

* Hold tour operators responsible for the actions of their customers and impose fines for those who don’t monitor their customers.

* Strengthen law enforcement efforts in the areas or create a better monitoring system and prosecute appropriately those people who violate the rules.

Send an e-mail to: (copy and paste into your e-mail message) chassahowitzka [at] fws.gov, kenneth.haddad [at] fwc.state.fl.us, southeast [at] fws.gov

Your e-mail will be going to:

James Kraus, Refuge Manager,
Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge

Ken Haddad, Executive Director,
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Sam Hamilton, Regional Director,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Region

Suggested subject line: Please Stop Manatee Harassment

Please forward this e-mail to as many people as you can.

Thank you for your help on this important issue for manatees!

Additional Contact Information:

James Kraus, Refuge Manager
Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Complex
1502 S.E. Kings Bay Drive
Crystal River, FL 34429
E-mail: chassahowitzka [at] fws.gov

Ken Haddad, Executive Director
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
620 South Meridian Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600
E-mail: kenneth.haddad [at] fwc.state.fl.us

Sam Hamilton, Regional Director
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Regional Headquarters
1875 Century Blvd., Suite 400
Atlanta, GA 30345
E-mail: southeast [at] fws.gov

If You Would Like To Do More To Help:

1. Contact U.S. Senators Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez from Florida and urge them to restore personnel funding for refuge staff and research at the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge.

2. Urge your U.S. Representatives to sign onto a letter to the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, urging them to increase funding for the National Wildlife Refuge System. The deadline for this action is March 13th! Go to the Refuge Action Network to find out if your representative has signed on and to send an instant letter.

3. Send a letter to the St. Petersburg Times and let them know how much you appreciate the superb job they have done in reporting on this and other important manatee issues. (Unless they hear from enough people, they are likely to close the paper’s Citrus County Bureau, and we are concerned that manatee stories won’t get the coverage they need.)

See Other Videos and Articles:

Manatee Paparazzi
Another video documenting harassment at Crystal River

Blue Spring and Crystal River
A video comparison of manatee viewing practices at both locations

Please Don’t Ride The Manatees
Read an article in the St. Petersburg Times documenting
harassment in the Homosassa River

Manatee Petting: Just Good Fun Or Harassment?
Read an article in the St. Petersburg Times
View the accompanying video

Sign up for our free Paddle Tales E-Newsletter: Go to www.savethemanatee.org/enews_signup.htm

Our postal address is:

500 N. Maitland Ave.
Maitland, Florida 32751
United States

About SMC

Save the Manatee Club is a nonprofit organization founded in 1981 by former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham and singer Jimmy Buffett. To learn more about manatees and our work, go to www.savethemanatee.org

Join Us!

Adopt-A-Manatee and join Save the Manatee Club. Your contribution will support our work to help protect endangered manatees and their habitat. For more information, go to www.savethemanatee.org/adoptpag.htm

Pass It Along

Help spread the word about manatees! Please forward this action alert to your family and friends. If you got this message from a friend, sign up to receive our Action Alerts at our Take Action page at www.savethemanatee.org/action.htm

Questions?

You can get updates on Action Alert issues by visiting the Take Action page of our web site. If you have additional questions, email us at action [at] savethemanatee.org

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts save the manatee club manatees florida Citrus County animal abuse cruelty to animals wildlife conservation Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge ESA Endangered Species Act St. Petersburg Times You Tube U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service USFWS Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission FWC Bill Nelson Mel Martinez

In This Issue

* 2006 Deadliest Year on Record
* Ask FWC To Revisit Manatee Reclassification
* Meet Floyd: Still Going Strong
* Two Couples With Heart
* Add A Manatee Banner To Your Space
* Twins Sighted Near Homosassa
* Manatee Romance Statue

2006 Deadliest Year On Record For Manatees

The year 2006 is on record as being the deadliest one ever documented for manatees. In January, biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission released manatee mortality data that showed 416 manatees died in state waters last year. Read more >>

Ask FWC To Revisit Manatee Reclassification

Please take a couple of minutes and send a quick and easy online letter to Florida Governor Charlie Crist. Governor Crist took office in January 2007 and has the power to influence the FWC’s decision to prematurely downlist manatees by asking them to revisit this important issue. Go >>

Meet Floyd: Still Going Strong After All These Years

Take a look at Floyd and try to guess how old he is. True, he looks youthful, but Floyd is actually approaching manatee middle age. We know this because he was just a few months old when his mother brought him to Blue Spring State Park for the winter. Read more >>

Two Couples With Heart

Valentine’s Day is coming up soon, and for some people, nothing says love more than manatees. Carolyn and Andrew Krentz and Kristen and Tom Ort are two couples who have big hearts when it comes to our favorite endangered species. Read more >>

Add A Manatee Banner To Your Space

Tell the world about your adopted manatee! Show your support by adding a free manatee banner to your web site, MySpace profile, blog, online diary, or journal. Go >>

Manatee Romance Statue

A great Valentine’s Day gift for the manatee lover in your life. Two manatees snuggle close together and “Love Me” reads the heart-shaped sign they carry. $15.95 Buy now >>

Twins Sighted Near Homosassa

manatee twinsAt the end of December, Joanne Tuxbury photographed a rare event in Florida. A female manatee made an appearance near Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, and she brought her twin calves along with her. Go >>

Send Us Your Question About Manatees!

If we choose it for the next Paddle Tales E-Newsletter, we’ll send you a FREE Manatee Romance statue. Send to education [at] savethemanatee.org and be sure to include your name and regular mailing address.

About SMC

Sign up for our E-mail Action Alert Team! Go to www.savethemanatee.org/action.htm

Our postal address is:

500 N. Maitland Ave.
Maitland, Florida 32751
United States

About SMC

Save the Manatee Club is a nonprofit organization founded in 1981 by former Florida governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham and singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett. To learn more about manatees and our work, go to www.savethemanatee.org

Join Us!

Adopt-A-Manatee and join Save the Manatee Club. Your contribution will support our work to help protect endangered manatees and their habitat. For more information, go to www.savethemanatee.org/adoptpag.htm

Pass It Along!

Help spread the word about manatees! Please forward this e-newsletter to your family and friends. If you got this message from a friend, sign up to receive our e-newsletter at www.savethemanatee.org/enews_signup.htm

Questions?

You can get more manatee news, information, and special features by visiting our web site at www.savethemanatee.org If you have additional questions, please email us at education [at] savethemanatee.org

Photo Credits: Table of Contents photo © Walker Stanberry, 2006 Deadliest Year on Record © David R. Schrichte, Ask FWC to Revisit Manatee Reclassification © Walker Stanberry, Meet Floyd © Patrick M. Rose/SMC, Two Couples With Heart courtesy of Carolyn Krentz, Manatee Twins courtesy of Joanne Tuxbury. Photos cannot be used without permission. Contact SMC for more information.

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts save the manatee club manatee florida conservation