Project Planned In Manatee Habitat Should Be Stopped - Save the ...

Project Planned In Manatee Habitat Should Be Stoppedcontinued from page 1City, both seeking 500 new slips.Heavy lobbying efforts are alsounderway by the City and the developersto convince the Departmentsof Environmental Protection andCommunity Affairs that they shouldoverride the Aquatic PreserveManagement Plan and proceed withthe commercial marina, even thoughDCA has found the project inconsistentwith the Volusia CountyComprehensive Plan (Plan) as well.Because of the great potentialharm that would likely come tomanatees if this commercial marinawere to be built, Save the ManateeClub has intervened as a legalparticipant to officially supportthe DCA position that the commercialmarina is inconsistent with thePlan and would put more dangerousboat traffic on waters frequentedby manatees and jeopardize thePreserve’s natural features.Donate Now!Please donate now so we can stop this project from being built in an aquatic preserve in an areafrequently used by the manatees in our Blue Spring Adopt-A-Manatee program, and support our workon many other critical conservation issues. You can donate online from our secure server.Go to: www.savethemanatee.org/donation.htm, or call us toll-free at 1-800-432-JOIN (5646).Thank you so much for your help!4Summer Fun For The Girls At HomosassaHomosassa Springs Update, by Park Ranger Matt RobinsonSummer is officiallyhere, and the manateesat Homosassa SpringsWildlife State Park areenjoying long days in the sun.Betsy and her sister, Ariel, spendat least half of each day basking inthe shallows near the UnderwaterObservatory—between meals, ofcourse. The increase in temperature,as well as daylight hours, means anincrease in the temperature of thein-ground pool. The concrete wallsof the pool also hold heat andwarm the temperature in the poolto around 85 degrees on most days,which makes Rosie and Loreleiespecially happy.The increase in daylight hoursalso leads to faster algae growthon the manatees. As a result, duringthe summer the manatees here atthe park get their normal once-aweek“spa treatment” twice a week.Rosie and Ariel especially enjoythe exfoliating salt scrub that comesat the end of the process. That stepis designed to kill any remainingalgae, but the manatees seem tobe of the opinion that it is fortheir enjoyment, so why tell themany different!Electra stays in the warm shallowarea near the Underwater ObservatoryRosie (left) and Electra. Photo by Bill Garvin, Homosassa Springs WildlifeState Park.during the day to give her first choiceof the carrots at the programs. Eventhis time of year, when most of thewild manatees have moved out ofthe river and into the shallowsaround the Gulf, we have seen twodifferent seacows with calves at thebridge in the month of June. Eachtime they were met on the oppositeside of the bridge by Rosie andAmanda, who always seem to wantto talk with the wild little ones.In the next few months, all ofthe manatees at the park are due fortheir official weights and checkups,which they always pass with flyingcolors. It will be interesting to seewhere Electra, who has grown agood deal in the past year, andAriel, who seems to be catchingup rather quickly with her mother,Amanda, fall in the overall sizeand weight measurements.