For further information, contact:
Janice Nearing,
Director of Public Relations
Phone: (407) 539-0990
E-mail: jnearing@savethemanatee.org

Note: A high resolution jpeg (300 dpi) of a manatee image is available upon request.

For Immediate Release

Would you know what to do and where to call if you came across a manatee in distress? Now’s a good time to brush up on your manatee protection tips and facts. It’s Manatee Awareness Month in Florida! Since manatees seek warmer waters as the temperatures get cooler, Save the Manatee Club would like to remind all residents and tourists to pay extra attention to the endangered mammals while out on Florida’s waterways. You could save a manatee’s life.

“Anyone who spots a manatee in need of assistance, remember that help is only a phone call away,” explains Patrick Rose, Executive Director for Save the Manatee Club. “Manatee rescue personnel from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) provide a vital service to manatees in trouble.” The FWC investigates the calls that come in to their 1-888-404-FWCC (3922) hotline number, and if necessary, will coordinate a manatee’s rescue in cooperation with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and rescue teams from facilities such as SeaWorld Orlando. “With continued efforts from concerned citizens and especially members of the boating public, more manatee lives can be saved,” says Rose. Last year there was a record-setting total mortality of 417 manatees who died from all causes, and a near record-setting manatee mortality (92) from boat strikes.

Save the Manatee Club frequently acts as a clearinghouse for injured manatee calls from the public, helping to facilitate a successful rescue. Over the years, the Club has also assisted manatee rescue efforts by donating rescue boats, tracking and other equipment, as well as funding.

People are asked to respond quickly to the following situations by calling 1-888-404-FWCC (3922), *FWC or #FWC on their cellular phones, or by using VHF Channel 16 on their marine radios:

• If you see a dead manatee.
  
  
• If you see a manatee with a pink or red wound. This means the wound is fresh.
  
  
• If the manatee is tilting to one side, unable to submerge, seems to have trouble breathing or is acting strangely.
  
  
• If you observe a manatee calf by herself with no adults around for an extended period of time. Manatee calves may remain dependent on their mothers for up to two years. If the mother dies before the calf is weaned, there is a strong likelihood the calf will not survive alone.
  
  
• If you see anyone harassing a manatee in any way.
  
  
• If you see boaters speeding in a protected area.
  
  
• If you see a manatee entangled in monofilament, crab-trap lines or other debris. Do not attempt to remove debris by yourself. Debris may be embedded underneath the skin and only a trained veterinarian can adequately assess and treat wounds.
  
  
• If you see a manatee tagged with a radio or satellite transmitter.

There are more ways to help with manatee protection. Florida shoreline property owners can request a free aluminum dock sign from Save the Manatee Club which says, “Please Watch for Manatees: Operate with Care.” E-mail education@savethemanatee.org, or call toll free at 1-800-432-JOIN (5646) and be sure to include contact information plus the address where the sign will be posted.

Also, the Florida boating public can request a free “Please Slow: Manatees Below” waterproof banner which allows quick communication with other boaters whenever manatees are present.

Free boater awareness posters are also available to dive shops, marinas, businesses, schools and libraries interested in displaying a poster in store-fronts and hi-traffic areas to help educate others about manatee conservation. The message says, “Navigate with Care, Manatees are There”, and encourages the boating community to “Boat Safely.”

Manatee protection tips are available on the Club’s website at www.savethemanatee.org/boatertips.htm. For more information on manatees, the Adopt-A-Manatee program, or to sign up for the Club’s new free E-Newsletter, visit the Club’s web site at www.savethemanatee.org.

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Read a proclamation from Florida Governor Charlie Crist
declaring November 2007 as Manatee Awareness Month (pdf)

Get more Manatee Information

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