Moving Forward on Florida Water Issues By Katie Tripp, Ph.D., Director of Science and Conservation his summer season was green, but not in a good way. Algal blooms in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) and manatee deaths from an ongoing unusual mortality event in the Brevard County portion of the IRL had the attention of citizens and the media. These blooms are a manifestation of decades of inadequate policies to protect our environment. We communicated with the media and the public about these issues and how they could help: See bit.ly/AlgaeBlooms. The Southwest Florida Water Management District continues its development of Surface Water Improvement Management (SWIM) plans along the Springs Coast. Save the Manatee Club (SMC) staff have been participating in Technical Working Groups and offering written comments on plans for the Weeki Wachee, Homosassa, and Chassahowitzka springs and rivers. The Thick green algae in areas of the Indian River Lagoon plans aim to improve along Florida's east coast, like this scene in Stuart, water quality by reducing dominated the landscape and the media this summer. nitrogen pollution Photo by Cora Berchem, SMC. from agriculture, septic systems, and urban fertilizers, and to monitor and restore habitat, especially native submerged aquatic vegetation. Also this summer, we offered comments on the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's (FDEP) recently issued Draft Human Health-Based Water Quality Criteria. SMC advocated more stringent criteria based on a precautionary approach. We remain concerned that criteria were devised with fracking in mind, because standards were relaxed continued on page 7 Free Manatee Program for School Classes By Nancy Sadusky and Cora Berchem, Save the Manatee Club Staff The Official Newsletter of Exciting news! Save the Manatee Club has launched a new educational program featuring Manatee Specialist Wayne Hartley and the Blue Spring manatees. The program Save the Manatee® Club is free and makes learning about manatees accessible to school classes across the United 500 N. Maitland Ave. States. The educational sessions are on the Internet and take place on Livestream, a video Maitland, FL 32751 live-streaming platform. September, Volume 35 Each Livestream program includes an educational video about Wayne’s research work Issue #3 of 2016 and the manatees who live in the wild and visit Blue Spring in the winter. The program also features a question and answer session on manatees. Participating schools are featured Published four times a year in the program and can submit questions from students that may be answered by Wayne in in March, June, September, the episode. The length of each program is approximately 30 minutes. and November. We have two programs currently scheduled in 2016 on November 10th at 10:00 a.m. and December 7th at noon. Additional programs are scheduled in 2017 on January 17th and March 14th at 10:00 a.m. and February 16th at 11:30 a.m. All program times are Artwork by Nancy Blauers Nancy by Artwork in Eastern Standard Time (EST) and each program is limited to 20 schools. If you would continued on page 4 Michigan’s Mighty Manatee Team! By Janice Nearing, Director of Public Relations t’s an early spring morning in May – day of the annual Save the Manatee 5K Run in Harrison Township, Michigan. Race Directors Lesley Argiri and her husband Brian McDonald, both teachers at L’Anse Creuse High School, check the radar first thing, knowing that rain is one thing they can’t control. Not a worry though this year – the sun peeks out – over 1,200 people make their way to the Lake St. Clair Metropark, and between them and the nearly 800 participants in the Virtual 5K, the event raises an impressive $26,500 to help endangered manatees. These past thirteen years of 5K races in Michigan, thanks to Lesley and Brian’s tireless advocacy, have brought in donations of over $116,000, which have gone towards Save the Manatee Club’s ongoing work to safeguard manatees and their habitat. Meet the leaders – Race Directors Lesley Argiri and Brian “People come back year after year, and McDonald pour their heart and soul into the annual Save the Manatee 5K. Photo courtesy of Lesley Argiri. continued on page 6 Help Manatees for Tomorrow Remember Save the Manatee® Club in your will or living trust, name the Club a beneficiary in your life insurance policy or retirement plan, and give gifts of real estate and stock. Please consult your attorney about a legacy gift, or contact Patrick Rose, the Club’s Executive Director, for further information at 1-800-432-5646. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our federal tax identification number is 59-3131709. Thank you for caring! Colombia and Nigeria Manatees Receive More Help By Katie Tripp, Ph.D., Director of Science and Conservation We were contacted in April Once Omacha learned about this digestive problems as the likely by colleagues from the Omacha illegal activity, they began an cause of death. Then, during the 3rd Foundation in Colombia who outreach campaign along with week of April, a group of manatees reported that due to El Niño drought environmental authorities to locate in the lagoon started showing signs conditions, the habitat being used those responsible for this criminal of digestive problems. There was by a group of manatees in the act. In addition to the hunting issue, local speculation that some type Mahates swamp was experiencing around the 2nd week of April, the of pollution was the cause, and very low water levels that allowed stranding and death of a manatee sampling was conducted to search hunters easy access to kill several was reported. The post-mortem for detectable contaminants. manatees and sell their meat. exam (necropsy) showed severe It became clear that the manatees 2 continued on page 7 Thank You, Jimmy, for Your Support! By Janice Nearing, Director of Public Relations t’s a milestone year for Save the Manatee Club. We turned 35, and what a busy time it has been over these many years educating millions of people around the globe about manatees and the threats to their long-term survival. We are truly grateful to adored musician and storyteller Jimmy Buffett who decided to start a program to raise awareness for Florida’s manatees by co-founding Save the Manatee Club back in 1981 with former Florida Governor and Senator Bob Graham. Here we are, years later, and Jimmy continues to help us spread our message by recording a new public service message for the Club’s 35th Anniversary. A new message from Jimmy always make a positive impact through his immense reach and popularity, and it helps revitalize the Club’s work and conservation efforts. Jimmy Buffett has starred in various public service Watch and enjoy the Club’s new PSA announcements over the years for Save the Manatee Club to starring Jimmy Buffett at bit.ly/JB35-60. help raise awareness. Photo by Jean-Philippe Piter. Be sure to share it with everyone! 35 Years Protecting Manatees To learn about the enormous challenges we face in protecting manatees and their aquatic habitat as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service moves to prematurely downlist manatees, go to bit.ly/SMC-EDN. Also, share the pride in our history and many successes at bit.ly/SMC-History. A Holiday Gift That Counts! Save the Manatee Club’s 2017 wall calendar is the kind of gift that friends and family can enjoy throughout the year and well beyond. The full- color photos are really that spectacular! When the year’s up, favorite photos can be framed or shared with others. They can be creatively used for art projects, scrapbooking, science boards, and more. Featuring beautiful underwater manatee photos by many award-winning photographers, the Club’s 2017 manatee calendar is a holiday gift that’s certain to be admired and appreciated. Each manatee month includes an educational caption under the photo so everyone who receives the calendar can learn more about manatees. Plus, there’s a 13th bonus image! Measuring 12” x 24” when open, the calendar is printed in America on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper from managed forests using soy ink. Also located inside the calendar, find a coupon for 20% off the next online Manatee Store purchase at shopsavethemanatee.org. Order your 2017 manatee calendar today for just $14.99. You’ll be helping the manatees you love and teaching others about them, too. Thank you! 3 An Unusual Tie for Season Champion! By Wayne Hartley, Manatee Specialist – Blue Spring Adoption Updatec he annual adoptee why she was in so often. Only time with 1 appearance in the afternoon attendance numbers will tell – again, I'll believe she is after roll call. He is the only and champions for the pregnant when I see a calf. adoptee that came in that did not season are as follows: Then came Annie with 20 count as staying the winter at Blue We had a very unusual female/ appearances. Annie is very Spring. I observed that 363 of the male tie for the championship this pregnant. Floyd was in early and 472 manatees seen at Blue Spring year at 28 visits each between often, for 19 visits. Philip was in 18 the past season spent the winter. Lucille and Gator. Lucille had a times and Paddy Doyle 17. Phyllis, This is down 22 from the previous calf and brought her young one in Nick, Whiskers, and Rocket were season but still our second highest often, like a good mother should. present 16 days. This was a poor number. The males usually trail far behind showing for Phyllis, but I was It appears that Brutus prefers in terms of attendance, but Gator is surprised Whiskers was in so often.