skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, March 29, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Not Much of a Holiday for Manatees, Sea Turtles Avoiding Boaters

play audio
Play

Wednesday, July 2, 2014   

TAMPA, Fla. - Thousands of boaters will be enjoying Florida waters this weekend, but they're not the only ones. Manatees also are quite common this time of year, as they migrate to their feeding and resting areas for the summer - and getting hit by boats is the leading cause of their injuries and deaths.

Lifelong Florida boater and sailing coach Ian Lineberger said it takes just a little effort to exercise a lot of caution.

"You can see the manatees if you wear a good pair of sunglasses and know what you're looking for," he said. "They're usually a big, dark smudge in the water. If I'm not in a manatee zone and I see a manatee, then I'm going to give them a wide berth and probably slow up a little bit."

Because it's sea-turtle nesting season, they also are at greater risk.

Aside from looking for these critters, there are other clues. A "footprint of swirls" often can be seen in the water just above a one-ton manatee, and a 300-pound loggerhead sea turtle may only show its head.

Boaters who hit an animal are encouraged to call 1-888-404-3922 so wildlife officials can help. Provided they were boating legally, boaters will not be charged or fined.

Elizabeth Fleming, senior representative with Defenders of Wildlife, said it's important to watch out for identified "manatee zones," obey the boating speed limits - and wear the right pair of sunglasses.

"Wearing polarized sunglasses is always a good thing," she said. "It helps boaters see through the water; it helps see these other types of animals, and can save a life."

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, about 5,000 manatees live in Florida waters. Scientists believe the population, near extinction at one point, is increasing. Lineberger said they're not the only thing that has benefited from environmental efforts.

"Conservation efforts to clean up Tampa Bay, in my lifetime, have made a big difference," he said. "Tampa Bay used to be kind of nasty - there wasn't any sea grass, and you couldn't see bottom."

In addition to threats from boaters, manatees also can be harmed by environmental factors such as red tide and loss of warm-water habitat. The state Wildlife Conservation Commission said last year was the worst year on record for them, with 830 manatee deaths - double the number in the previous year.

More information on Florida manatees is online at defenders.org.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week about the popular abortion pill Mifepristone and will weigh in on whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was correct in how it can be dosed and prescribed. (Ascannio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Missouri residents are worried about future access to birth control. The latest survey from The Right Time, an initiative based in Missouri…


Social Issues

play sound

Wisconsin children from low-income families are now on track to get nutritious foods over the summer. Federal officials have approved the Badger …

Social Issues

play sound

Almost 2,900 people are unsheltered on any given night in the Beehive State. Gov. Spencer Cox is celebrating signing nine bills he says are geared …


The U.S. teaching workforce remains primarily white while the percentage of Black teachers has declined. However, the percentage of Asian and Latinx teachers is rising.(WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobestock)

Social Issues

play sound

Education advocates are calling on lawmakers to increase funding for programs to combat the teacher shortage. Around 37% of schools nationwide …

Environment

play sound

New York's Legislature is considering a bill to get clean-energy projects connected to the grid faster. It's called the RAPID Act, for "Renewable …

Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021