Posted on 02/26/2007 3:35:58 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
TITUSVILLE -- Sea cows call the warm waters near energy facilities home. Scientists fear that if a plant closes, those animals might not head to springs or migrate to South Florida.
For manatees, the warm water that spills from power plants is addictive.
The plants have long provided the sea cows with an artificial refuge beyond their natural winter habitat near springs and in warmer southern waters.
Scientists estimate that six in every 10 manatees now winter near power plants that line Florida's waterways.
It is a dependency that someday could have grave consequences for the manatee.
State and federal officials expect many of these aging power plants to close eventually. As the state's human population grows, more efficient power production requires newer facilities. A 95-year-old plant in Fort Pierce that once attracted as many as 49 manatees will close next year. Two plants in Brevard are each more than 40 years old, and their age has manatee advocates worried.
Officials say they are unprepared for the potential death toll when plants shut down and leave manatees in the cold.
"With the potential for catastrophic losses, this is the single greatest threat on the horizon for manatees," said Pat Rose, a biologist and executive director of the Save the Manatee Club.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says potential power-plant closures are a key reason manatees still face a high risk of extinction, even though population gains have shifted manatees from "endangered" to the less ominous state classification of "threatened."
State wildlife officials and a federal task force of government biologists, environmentalists and power-company officials are looking at alternative ways to keep manatees warm while weaning them from power plants, but there are no easy or cheap fixes.
(Excerpt) Read more at orlandosentinel.com ...
Phooey!
That's what I said this morning when I did NOT jump outta the way soon enough when Pepe blasted my direction. I now have an upset skunk in a trap and he REALLY doesn't want me getting very close, but I'll have to, sooner or later.
"And imagine! Kennedy Space Center is a wildlife refuge."
Indeed it is. It also has one of the few decent beaches left along the Atlantic coast of Florida. My wife, son, and I always visit Merritt Island (next to Kennedy Space Center) whenever we have to visit that godawful pit called Florida. Mom lives there; we have to go. We're currently weaning the boy off Disney. I imagine Florida must have been beautiful when there were 100,000 people there.
Ouch thats gotta smell! Are we providing new habitat for skunks as well as deer? Deer are creatures of the forest edges and they would be pretty scarce naturally in my neck of the woods. Suburbs provide exactly the kind of habitat they love. We might be doing the same for skunks!
Mr. PePe was relocated about an hour ago with not too much of a problem. I have some big plastic bags that line a 55 gal drum and I slit one down the side to place over the trap. Naturally with the sealed end towards me and the open end toward the trap door.
He (?) got stuffed into a large plastic trashcan and off we went for a 3 hour cruise. (Well, a 6 mile ride, anyway)
[Yes, the windows WERE down and the back glass on the van doors open!]
I hope that is far enough to get it relocated and not return.
I found out that I do NOT want to trap any more of them, just make it unpleasant enough and they'll leave on their own. (According to the book.)
You need a trap that is low enough to prevent them from raising their tails.
Need a recipe for skunk shampoo? My sister got a very effective one from a vet when her (stupid) dog went after one one time.
1 quart hydrogen peroxide
1/4 cup baking soda
1 Tbsp Dawn Dishwashing detergent
Stir SLOWLY.
DO NOT CAP
Not sure what you mean. Manatees are indeed native to FL.
Yup, that's what I used.
I'm glad I looked for lots of counselers BEFORE trying the old wives tale about Tomato (tomatoe?) juice!
(Hey! I'm from Indiana - gimme a break on the spelling!)
But, from WHERE did their forebearers come?
We now return you to your regular scheduled programming...
Oh; if you guys have EVOLVED to match the warmer water, too bad: evolve back or DIE!
My sister decided that was preferable to a pink dog.
nope they were imported as were horses
It's not a big deal, but you are not correct.
According to US Fish and Wildlife, this is a common misperception.
http://www.fws.gov/northflorida/manatee/manatee-native-facts.htm
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