FL manatees no longer ‘endangered’

Manatees, whose gentle, lumbering ways have made them susceptible to boating threats that nearly killed off a species, are no longer on the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s endangered list. USF&WS announced March 30 that it was going to downgrade the West Indian manatee from “endangered” to “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. The reclassification marked a major rebound for the mammals, which hovered on the brink of extinction since 1973 - only a few hundred remained. Today, there are an estimated 6,620 Florida manatees, a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, according to USF&WS. “(M)anatee numbers are increasing and we are actively working with partners to address threats,” said Jim Kurth, the agency’s acting director. However, some animal groups and activists are protested the federal agency’s decision, saying the manatee’s down-grade from the endangered list could lead to greater threats to the species. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) called it “Hugely disappointing” and promised to contact Interior Secretary Ruam Zinke. Buchanan said the move would be detrimental for Florida, where the manatee is beloved, protected, and even has its own specialty vehicular license plate. (Source: Washington Post 03/31/17)