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Manatee No Longer An Endangered Species (miamiherald.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the how-now-sea-cow dept.

An anonymous reader quotes the Miami Herald: The manatee -- for decades the poster mammal for environmental decline in Florida -- is officially no longer an endangered species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Thursday that the manatee will instead be designated "threatened" -- a status change that reflects a boom in population over the last decade. In February, Florida wildlife managers released preliminary results of an annual count that recorded 6,620 manatees lumbering in the warm waters of Florida's lagoons, springs and canals... "We believe this is a devastating blow to manatees," Patrick Rose, Executive Director for Save the Manatee Club, said in a statement. "A federal reclassification at this time will seriously undermine the chances of securing the manatee's long- term survival."
It was the third consecutive year to see an increase in the estimated population of manatees.

4 of 89 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Oh the huge manatee by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Everyone thought Donald was after the Muslims and Mexicans, but it was just a ruse to distract the American people from the fact that his #1 political agenda is to kill off those fat fuck manatees. Don't tell anyone, but I have also seen drafts of executive orders that will effectively end fire ants, parakeets, and rainy days.

  2. I probably shouldn't say this by No+Longer+an+AC · · Score: 5, Funny

    But does this mean I can have a manatee steak now?

    They're often referred to as sea cows.

    I love steak and I love seafood. Maybe this would be the perfect meal.

    I'm glad they're off the endangered species list though. This is good news whether or not it means I can every eat one. I don't expect to see it on a menu anytime soon. They are cool creatures.

  3. Re:Patrick by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    And what about Patrick's "devastating blow to manatees" comment.
    It is very hard to deliver a blow of any magnitude to a manatee because they're in the water. And they're covered with fat so your fist just sinks in.
    Sometimes when I'm boating and see one of those fat fucks floating around, I get so pissed off I jump on it with both feet. They don't even turn to look at me.
    "Devasting blow" my ass. I bet he's never even tried to punch a manatee in the face. It's almost a waste of time.

  4. Re:manatee reproduce too slowly by Hartree · · Score: 3, Funny

    "There is increasing competition from fish, which produce a ton of eggs."

    Yeah, but how many fish eggs would I have to crack for an omelet?