It’s been all over the news: according to the Endangered Species Act, the manatees have been removed from the endangered species list! People have been celebrating. After all, this is a time to celebrate, right?
Well, sort of.
Getting removed from the endangered species list is a huge accomplishment. This means that manatees are no longer in immediate danger of becoming extinct. The manatee population has increased from a few hundred in the 1960s to more than 6,000 in current times. This means the strict regulations that have been enforced to help protect these beloved Florida creatures, mostly from recreational boating, have been successful.
Unfortunately, the manatees are not quite off the hook. They have been moved to the threatened species list. This means, while they are not in immediate threat of becoming extinct, it seems that in the near future they are likely to return to the endangered list. Many scientists and wildlife officials are concerned that other pressing issues that put manatees in danger will continue to be unregulated.
Dr. Zack Jud at the Florida Oceanographic Society stated his concern, “We still have so many other habitat and climate related issues that may negatively affect manatee in the future that I just don’t know if they’re really ready to be reduced from endangered to threatened.”
Many officials want a feasible plan to reduce boating accidents and preserve a warmer habitat for manatees to survive in. The problem is since people realized that they are no longer on the endangered species list, they think they’re in no danger at all. So, this makes constructing a plan difficult when there aren’t many in support of it. Without this support, it looks like the protection these manatees have will only be the ones currently enforced. Even then, many are worried in years to come these restrictions will no longer be required.
Over past years, manatees have definitely been increasing in number. The restrictions and regulations set by Florida officials have been successful in reaching their goals. However, there is still much to be done if we want to ensure a promising future for these lovely “sea cows.”
