Two Pinellas County Communities Help
Educate The Public

SMC's "If You Love Us, Please Don't Touch or Feed Us" sign posted at Coffeepot Bayou. (Photo by FWCC)

With their quiet backwaters and springs, Coffeepot Bayou in St. Petersburg and Spring Bayou in Tarpon Springs, Florida represent important manatee habitat in Tampa Bay. In fact, residents and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC) manatee photo-identification staff see manatees on a regular basis in both areas.

Perhaps these local manatees have become a little too well known. Recently, Save the Manatee Club staff received phone calls from residents and FWCC staff expressing their concern about manatees being fed and watered. While folks may have the best of intentions, feeding and watering manatees can be considered harassment and is against the law. More importantly, feeding and watering manatees teaches them bad habits that may put them at risk for harassment, injury, and death. It's best that our wildlife remains wild!

With the support of city staff and Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association residents, a Save the Manatee Club (SMC) non-regulatory educational sign will be posted at popular manatee "hang outs" in Coffeepot Bayou and Spring Bayou. Two flippers and a tail fluke up to these local cities and their residents for actively supporting the protection of the endangered manatee.

SMC's sign, titled "If You Love Me, Please Don't Feed or Touch Me" includes the FWCC toll-free hotline number (1-888-404-FWCC), SMC's contact information and four important tips:

1. Manatees lose their natural fear of humans when you feed them or give them water. Once this happens, they can be harassed or fed dangerous, non-food items.
   

   
   

2. Manatee learn to approach boats if you feed them or give them water from your dock. This increases the likelihood of boat-related manatee injury or death.
   

   
   

3. "Look, but don't touch" is the best way to protect manatees and all wildlife.
   

   
   

4. Petting, feeding or giving manatees water can be considered harassment, which is against the law.
   
   

In addition to this sign, SMC offers another non-regulatory educational "Please be aware" sign for waterfront property and dock owners and bright yellow "Please slow, manatees below" flags for boaters. For further information about these items, please visit www.savethemanatee.org/newsfsign.htm.