| Here are Some Links to Manatee Facts Click on the Pictures |
| Wikipedia |
| Manatee Info from SMC |
| Click on the Pictures for Videos by Tracy Colsen |
| Nature Serve Explorer |
| Manatee Tours and Why We Don't Advocate for Swimming with Manatees |
Florida Manatees
| Trichechus manatus latirostris |
| Crystal River, Florida is perhaps best known as a tourism destination because of its unique opportunities to interact with the Florida Manatee. Large, docile marine mammals, the manatees are truly a unique species. They are in theory, protected by various state and federal laws. Both the USFWS (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service) and FWCC (Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission) issue guidelines for interacting with manatees which, despite being posted on numerous manatee tour websites, are widely ignored by both the operators and participants of those tours. See some of the videos posted below to get a feel for what you can expect of an in season swim with the manatee program. For this reason, Aardvark's Florida Kayak Company has chosen to forgo the more lucrative swim with the manatee programs in favor of a more environmentally friendly, passive observation approach. All our manatee tours are conducted from kayaks and in strict accordance with the true principles of ecotourism. That means small groups and a no touch policy. We believe that ecotourism has to be an ethic, not just a marketing tool. Many of the swim with the manatee tour operators claim they are performing a public service by educating people about manatees and, they generally do a fair job at parroting the information found in print and on the web. Where they are lacking is in teaching passive observation and respect for wild animals. If someone tells you to tickle it under the flipper and rub it's belly, look for a better operator next time. |
Kayak with the Manatee and Don't Swim with the Manatee in Crystal River, Florida
It is a common argument that swim with the manatee programs don't kill manatees, therefore there is nothing wrong with swimming with them. While at Aardvark's, we agree that swimming with the manatees does not in and of itself legally constitute harassment, there is no data to support the contention that it is not harmful to the animals at a sub-lethal level. The constant need for swimmers to touch the animals is what concerns us the most. It generates stress in the animals, and leads to clear cut harassment. This is what we object to. What we commonly witness goes well beyond the passive interaction that is suppose to be the norm. Another argument is that manatee like to be petted. Maybe so, but that doesn't mean it is in their best interest. Wild animals that acclimate to humans are usually put in harms way. Most folks (though not all) seem to have come to grips with the fact that feeding manatees is bad. It shouldn't be such a stretch to understand that petting, just like feeding is a stimulus that causes an unnatural attraction. Does proper interaction occur? Most certainly, but it is no longer the rule, rather the exception. Even some of the better shops, float ropes off their pontoons to attract manatees. The educational value of these encounters no longer outweighs the potential harm. You Be the Judge and Let Your Conscience be Your Guide Here are a few videos of what you may encounter on your manatee swim in Crystal River. |
| Here are Some Links to Guidelines for Manatee Interaction Click on the Pictures |
| USFWS |
| FWCC |
| Marine Mammal Commission |
| PDF File |
| PDF File |
| Videos by Steve Kingery |
Here are a Few Links to Peer Reviewed Studies Involving Human/Manatee Interaction Managing Endangered Species within the Use/Preservation Paradox: Understanding and Defining Harassment of the West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus) Click Here for PDF MANATEE WINTER DISTRIBUTION IN KINGS BAY, CRYSTAL RIVER, FL AND ITS APPLICATION TO THE DESIGN OF MANATEE SPEED ZONES AND SANCTUARIES IN THE BAY Click Here for PDF An assessment of the behaviors of overwintering manatees as influenced by interactions with tourists at two sites in central Florida Click Here for PDF Factors Influencing Behavior in a Boating Speed Zone Click Here for PDF |