Shifting Baselines

Many of you will recall my passion and compassion for the illustrious sea cow (and for those of you who haven't watched it, the exploding manatee heart is a must). A few weeks ago, after I attended the International Coral Reefs Symposium I went back to my old stomping ground (water?) of Crystal River, Florida, to visit these gentle giants. I have been traveling to Crystal River off and on for 10 years and, even over this brief time, I have witnessed a shifting baseline...

Crystal River is a beautiful area, particularly in the early morning when the fog clings to the water and air is filled with birdsong rather than the rumble of motorboats. The water, particularly around Three Sisters Spring, is crystal clear.

There are a number of resident manatees (who stay in Crystal River year round rather than making it only a stopping point during their winter migration). I managed to see a few of these manatees.

But I also did NOT see a few because, over the party-filled week of Independence Day, three manatees were killed by boats (and one was a mother with a dependent calf who had to be taken off to a facility for care, which meant Crystal River lost four manatees in less than two weeks). Several people I met were fighting to get idle boat speeds enforced not only during winter months (as is currently the case), but also during summer months. Their efforts have so far failed. It's my understanding (from many of the tour operators) that the mayor of Crystal River, Ronald Kitchen, is an incompetent leader who prioritizes the adrenaline-seeking desires of his boating constituency over tourism and manatees (the most basic of calculations would show the latter provides infinitely more to the economy and identity of the community). So for now, boats only have to slow down to idle speeds in the winter and summertime manatees must fend for their slow and lumbering selves.

The most obvious change I noticed, however, was that the bay is now infested with this invasive algae that smothers the native plants upon which manatees feed. It's apparently very difficult to eradicate. Great.

But this increasingly degraded home is still home to many manatees, who can't simply buy another property in some foreign country if they want to escape the crowd. They have lived in these waters since the Pleistocene and were largely undisturbed for most of human history (save the occasional Native American meal and hunt by explorers). Air condition changed the landscape of Florida and the canals where manatees roam. Development, boaters, water pollution, and invasive species threaten not only the survival but also the quality of life of these docile vegetarians.

Just recently, kayakers and boaters staged a 'sit-in' to raise awareness about summer manatees but more efforts are needed. If you have any desire to express concern (for whizzing propellers driven by drunken weekend warriors, algae infestations, and incompetent leadership) or affinity for Crystal River manatees, feel free to write to Mayor Ronald Kitchen at rkitchen[at]crystalriverfl.org.

All photos taken in July 2008 by Lara Thoreson.