the state of Florida has downgraded the protection afforded the manatee from "endangered" to "threatened," effective this week.  this is without a doubt a victory by boating and builiding groups, who have been lobbying for this move for at least 5 years.

manatee at Crystal River, Florida.  i took this picture during a "manatee snorkel,"

 one of the best wild animal interactions in the world.

   florida's fish and wildlife commission predicts no possibility of extinction over the next century, but a coin-flip chance the population could drop by 30 percent over the next 45 years. it also details a long list of threats: increased deaths from boat strikes, red tide, habitat loss and the potential shutdown of coastal power plants that provide the thin-skinned mammals with warm refuges during the winter.  Read More.

    there are approximately 3,000 manatees in Florida, the only state where wild manatees are found.  the timing on this lifting of the ban is a bit odd, since this past January marked the highest monthly death toll for manatees in Florida ever.   This figure, despite a warm winter, shows that manatees continue to be under stress.