Watch for manatees on the move

The FWC warns boaters to go slowly and watch out for manatees, especially this time of year.

BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com

MANATEE COUNTY - As spring temperatures rise and manatees head to warmer waters, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is reminding boaters to go slow and be on the lookout for the slow-moving marine mammals.

Manatees depend on water of more than 68 degrees to survive the winter. In the fall, they travel to Florida springs, power plant discharges and other warm-water sites. As water temperatures rise in the spring, they leave their winter habitats and head toward rivers, canals and nearshore waters.

The FWC cautions that manatees can be difficult to see in the water, so it is important to go slowly and observe all manatee protection zones, wear polarized sunglasses and look out below while boating or using personal watercraft.

affected by exposure to brevetoxin via their prey and they will also face decreased availability of prey during and following red tides.”

“Numbers (of sickened birds) are very heavy already,” Carpenter said. “Last year we only had 27 cormorants all year and pelicans, only 68 all year. So far this year we have had 23 cormorants, of which 18 have died. This year we had 24 brown pelicans, and 19 of those had symptoms related to red tide and five of those have been released.”

The Wildlife Inc. breakdown of birds being treated is:

• 12 ospreys, 10 related to red tide. Three have been released;

• Four great blue herons, two attributed to red tide and two with fishhook injuries;

• Two yellow-crowned night herons, one attributed to red tide has died; the other caught in fishing line was treated and released;

•11 loons, six impacted by red tide.

LIVING WITH SHOREBIRDS

Manatee County Audubon Society board member Kathy Dod-

Telltale signs that a manatee is nearby are a visible snout or large circles on the water, indicating that manatees are below the surface.

Manatee protection zones are marked by waterway signs and maps of the zones are available at MyFWC.com/Manatee by clicking on “Data and Maps.”

FWC law enforcement is on patrol in state waters to remind boaters of the speed zones and to take appropriate enforcement actions, according to FWC. Boaters are reminded to abide by the regulatory signs they see on the water.

Boat strikes continue to be a major threat to Florida manatees, according to the FWC. There

WHERE‛S YOUR COMFORT ZONE?

Wind sculptures grace City Pier Park

Two rotating Star Dancer wind sculptures now stand alongside the City Pier Park flagpole in Anna Maria. The copper wind sculptures were created by Utahbased sculpture artist Lyman Whitaker. In October, Anna Maria Island Garden Club member Pat Short appeared before the Anna Maria City Commission, proposed the wind sculptures and offered a $6,000 contribution from the garden club. The city commission, with Commissioner Robert Kingan in opposition, agreed to contribute the remaining $12,000 needed to purchase and install the wind sculptures.

Island Players documentary in film festival

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