The price of keeping the whole manatee thing going is quite high. The Columbus Zoo alone spent several million to build a facility for manatee rescue and though it certainly draws a crowd, I doubt if it is by any means self-sustaining. There are two permanent residents and there have been 7 returned to their native habitat after being put back into condition. All of these were injured from boat prop strikes. If you factor in the man hours and the costs of jet transport both ways, the cost/manatee skyrockets. and that doesn't even take into account the daily maintenance costs of these animals.

They aren't called sea cows for nothing. Eash one eats several crates of lettuce per day and while feeding time is a popular attraction, I wonder how many small children have been frightened to go into the water after seeing these things feed.......and worse. They have a monstrous glass sided tank here that you can walk along and see quite clearly and you haven't seen anything until you see one of these behemoths drop a load! And a load it is. As I said, sea cow is appropriate. It's really disgusting and a lot of the kids standing around were completely grossed out. This alone will probably keep many from even going wading in some of our southern rivers.

In a discussion on a different board, a Florida resident also pointed out the following: ".....you have no idea what a problem they are. Here we have such wonderful family attractions like Disney, Wet and Wild, Bush Gardens Sea World, Universal, and the water ski show at Cypress Gardens....but those damn Rivers with their manatees,and those stupid swamps and cypress trees wasting space that could better be put to use as hotel sites and golf courses and sub divisions." Although the manatee may draw a few tourists, the impact of the individual tourist dollar especially, could be better spent with one of the Disney or other attractions which employ people there and results in far greater benefits to the community as a whole.

Khandu, I'm with you on this one and I would suggest that boaters in the area go to stainless steel props which are less likely to be damaged and will probably result in a surer kill. Those manatees struck should just be hauled ashore and then y'all can do what you see fit, which in Mississippi probably means sticking a flaming cross up their ass and barbequing the damn things.

Spaw