TO BE OR NOT TO BE…
(…endangered…or just…threatened)

There appears to be a growing tiff between some folks in Florida about the manatee.

Some think that because of protections established some years ago for this docile bovine-tempered sea creature its Florida population has now recovered to something more than 6,000, so it no longer needs the same levels of protection as it once did.

The arguments are whether it is to be or not to be considered…endangered…and reclassified as just being…threatened. Private interests of course want the latter designation since that would diminish some of the existing constraints on their pursuits of happiness among those waterways where the creature roams.

To paraphrase one of Ogden Nash’s gems…we’ve never seen what they call a sea cow, yet we’d surely like to see one…but we can tell you anyhow, we’d rather see than be one.

Well, the sea cow, or manatee, is apparently a marine mammal of somewhat Hippo bulk. A gentle inoffensive creature spending time endlessly grazing and chomping on various kinds of water plants. Though rather shy it also has enough curiosity in its character to overcome that and willingly engage in playful interaction with the occasional human swimmer intruding into its domain. Some say it’s an experience even more appealing than swimming with dolphins…which can sometimes get rough in their play with humans.

But the biggest problem for manatees seems to be those folks who think that zipping along in their boats at flank speed over any waterway…is not only the way to go…but their God-given right to do so. Unfortunately, in the process, they manage to mangle or kill too many of these blimp-sized creatures each year, thus the arguments about their being endangered or just threatened.  In this context, however, such boating speedsters are definitely a “threat” so “threatened” is perhaps a stronger and more proper designation to use.

One would think that common sense, if not just plain courtesy, would govern the behavior of such water-borne kamikazes, when passing through places where these inoffensive creatures are… voluntarily slowing down enough to avoid such problems…and maybe even saying howdy besides…just as any good neighbor might.

Perhaps that’s just too much to expect from the human species. So maybe we better get to Florida to see and play with one…before they’re all gone.

CENTURION