By Chang Liu
Even though Florida’s manatee populations are steadily growing, a recent survey by the UF/IFAS Center for Public Issues Education shows that state residents strongly believe the endangered species should continue to be protected.
According to results from the online survey, 79 percent of Floridians agree or strongly agree that manatees should continue to be considered endangered, and 68 percent disagree or strongly disagree with removing manatees from the federal list of endangered species.
The Fish and Wildlife Service can choose to delist or downlist endangered or threatened species based on population growth and stability and eliminated or controlled threats, among other criteria. The Fish and Wildlife Service will continue to monitor a recently delisted species for five years. In 2007, Fish and Wildlife Service biologists recommended to reclassify the manatee as threatened in the species’ five-year review.
The online survey, the third installment of the PIE Center’s series of public opinion surveys, found that 88 percent of respondents felt that boat speed limits should be in place where manatees are located. The surveys roughly profile the opinions of a representative sample of Floridians. Previous surveys examined public opinion on issues related to water quality and quantity, as well as immigration reform.
The study also showed that 84 percent of respondents supported imposing fines on those who harm endangered species. In addition, 86 percent of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed with fining those who harm habitats of endangered species.
Watercraft was the leading noticeable cause of death in manatees last year, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Eighty-one manatees died after being hit by a boat or barge, compared to 65 deaths that were determined to be from natural causes.
“The visual image you have of the negative human-animal interaction is pretty powerful and emotional,” PIE Center Director Tracy Irani said. “It might be hard to accept that despite these unfortunate accidents, research suggests that Florida’s manatees are doing fine.”
Based on aerial surveys by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, manatee populations in the state have grown from 1,267 in 1991 to 4,834 in 2011. According to a report from the federal agency, manatee populations in two of the four Florida protection zones are “growing rapidly and doing very well.”
“It’s harder for people to make the connection to species such as certain butterflies, which in South Florida are threatened by land development and sea level rise,” Irani said. “It’s easy to understand the threat of speeding boats with propellers to a large, slow-moving animal. You can get a pretty good visual image of what the threat is.”
The next installment of the PIE Center’s public opinion surveys will focus on food production practices, with the results slated to be released in early December.
