The primary author of this site, Matt Clemons, has served as a board member of Save the Manatee and runs their Do Not
Disturb member tours. He has also been presented with a Manatee Hero award by SMC for his long standing advocacy for
the manatee.
Matt has a degree in Wildlife Conservation from the University of Florida. While at UF, Matt was employed by the Florida
Co-Operative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. He worked on sport fishery research projects in North Central Florida and
the Everglades and manatee studies in Southwest Florida.
He has also served with the Florida Marine Research Institute (FMRI ) now a part of FWCC) as a manatee biologist,
served on the Citrus County EcoTourism Committee and sat on the Manatee Advisory Committee of Citrus County. He is a
certified Eco-Heritage Guide and instructed a portion of the University of North Florida's Eco-Heritage Guide Certification
Program entitled "Environmental Ethics and Sustainability". He now runs ecotours including manatee observation
programs.
Disturb member tours. He has also been presented with a Manatee Hero award by SMC for his long standing advocacy for
the manatee.
Matt has a degree in Wildlife Conservation from the University of Florida. While at UF, Matt was employed by the Florida
Co-Operative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. He worked on sport fishery research projects in North Central Florida and
the Everglades and manatee studies in Southwest Florida.
He has also served with the Florida Marine Research Institute (FMRI ) now a part of FWCC) as a manatee biologist,
served on the Citrus County EcoTourism Committee and sat on the Manatee Advisory Committee of Citrus County. He is a
certified Eco-Heritage Guide and instructed a portion of the University of North Florida's Eco-Heritage Guide Certification
Program entitled "Environmental Ethics and Sustainability". He now runs ecotours including manatee observation
programs.
| CEO's for Wild Manatees |
We are a group of Citizen advocates and Ecotour Operators who are interested in protecting manatees by keeping them
wild. The name of our group is CEOs for Wild Manatees. It is our core belief that wild animals need to stay wild, and that
as in all wildlife viewing, only passive interaction should be encouraged. That essentially means look, but don't touch. We
believe that only with strict adherence to the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission's Wildlife Viewing Guidelines (see
below), and enforcement of those guidelines, can manatee viewing programs of any kind (swim or no swim) coexist with the
need to protect manatees in the long term.. We understand the economic importance of the manatee to the local economy
and therefore we seek this compromise as a way to allow the industry to continue and sustain itself for the long term.
Taken from the basic principles of animal behavior, petting is simply another stimulus to which an animal reacts. It is no
different than feeding or watering. Manatee behavior is learned and is taught from one generation of animals to the next.
One cannot assume that this is not harmful in the long term. While the act of petting itself is not lethal, it can result in
temporal and spatial shifts in manatee habitat usage than can result in mortality. For example, conditioned manatees may
be using the bay more frequently in summer months putting themselves in harms way by feeding and resting in the high
speed watersport zone. Manatee mortality from boat strikes is on the rise in Citrus County. It is now #1 in boat mortality on
a per capita basis. Can we be sure that this is not the result of the acclimation process?
We encourage everyone to respect all wildlife and especially our manatees. If you are an ecotour operator, all you have to
do is abide by the existing guidelines and not encourage your clients to continue the cycle of habituation.
wild. The name of our group is CEOs for Wild Manatees. It is our core belief that wild animals need to stay wild, and that
as in all wildlife viewing, only passive interaction should be encouraged. That essentially means look, but don't touch. We
believe that only with strict adherence to the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission's Wildlife Viewing Guidelines (see
below), and enforcement of those guidelines, can manatee viewing programs of any kind (swim or no swim) coexist with the
need to protect manatees in the long term.. We understand the economic importance of the manatee to the local economy
and therefore we seek this compromise as a way to allow the industry to continue and sustain itself for the long term.
Taken from the basic principles of animal behavior, petting is simply another stimulus to which an animal reacts. It is no
different than feeding or watering. Manatee behavior is learned and is taught from one generation of animals to the next.
One cannot assume that this is not harmful in the long term. While the act of petting itself is not lethal, it can result in
temporal and spatial shifts in manatee habitat usage than can result in mortality. For example, conditioned manatees may
be using the bay more frequently in summer months putting themselves in harms way by feeding and resting in the high
speed watersport zone. Manatee mortality from boat strikes is on the rise in Citrus County. It is now #1 in boat mortality on
a per capita basis. Can we be sure that this is not the result of the acclimation process?
We encourage everyone to respect all wildlife and especially our manatees. If you are an ecotour operator, all you have to
do is abide by the existing guidelines and not encourage your clients to continue the cycle of habituation.
| Join Us |
| If you are a concerned citizen or ecotour operator and want to see wild manatees stay wild, please sign our pledge. There is no fee, no call for donations, just a request that you abide by the FWCC Guidelines and encourage others to do so as well. Click the "I Support..." Button Below |
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| Take the Manatee Watchers' Pledge |
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| We are proposing that the above signs be placed at all access points to Kings Bay including all city and county ramps, and city parks. If you'd like to help sponsor one of the above signs, please e-mail us at: savewildmanatees@manateeprotection.com |
| "Enjoy your travels in this great land of ours, and remember, it’s our responsibility to keep wildlife wild." Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf U.S. Army, Retired |
| Please support those Businesses that have taken the Pledge. |
| Participate in Our Online Poll |
| A Note from the Our World Underwater Show in Chicago. The type of behavior described is what will kill the manatee swim industry. |