ADOPT A MANATEE

Bronze Manatee Fountain

Our friends at DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE have graciously given their permission for us to share this vital information about the plight of the Manatee and their ADOPT A MANATEE program. Your donation supports DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE’S work to ensure that Manatee remains protected under the Endangered Species Act and to educate the public about the threats these amazing animals face.  If you would like to make a donation to the DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE Adopt a Manatee program please see the link at the bottom of this blog. If you are interested in purchasing a bronze manatee statue or fountain click our link at the bottom of this blog. Bronze-Depot.com will make a donation from the sale of each manatee statue or fountain to ADOPT A MANATEE.

As Florida’s human population increases and waterfront development continues at a breakneck pace, manatees are losing the habitat they rely on for survival. Development can damage the seagrasses that manatees eat, degrade the quality of the water where they swim and even reduce the availability of warm water from the natural springs that shelter manatees from cold stress during the winter. Your adoption supports our wide range of marine conservation work – from advocating for slow-speed zones to reduce manatee collisions with boats, to fighting for the establishment of protected areas where manatees spend the winter.

West Indian manatees in the United States are protected under federal law by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 which make it illegal to harass, hunt, capture, or kill any marine mammal. West Indian manatees are also protected by the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978. Violations of these federal or state laws can be met with civil or criminal convictions associated with monetary fines and/or imprisonment.

An aquatic relative of the elephant, manatees are famous for their slow-moving beauty. Like other grazing animals, they play an important role in influencing plant growth in the shallow rivers, bays, estuaries, and coastal waters they call home. Unfortunately, waterfront development is damaging habitat and manatees often fall victim to boat strikes.

As Florida’s human population increases and waterfront development continues at a breakneck pace, manatees are losing the habitat they rely on for survival. Development can damage the seagrasses that manatees eat, degrade the quality of the water where they swim and even reduce the availability of warm water from the natural springs that shelter manatees from cold stress during the winter.

Your adoption supports our wide range of marine conservation work – from advocating for slow-speed zones to reduce manatee collisions with boats, to fighting for the establishment of protected areas where manatees spend the winter.

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