Save the West Indian Manatee

By: Andrew Stratford

Ecology/ Description

The West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus) sometimes known as the "sea cow" is one of four known living species of the aquatic mammal order Sirenia. There are two subspecies of the West Indian Manatee: the Florida Manatee and the Antillean Manatee. Both are very similar except that the Florida Manatee is generally larger. The average adult manatee is around 10 feet long and weighs anywhere from 800 to 1,200 pounds. Their wrinkled skin is usually gray and is covered with vibrissae, tiny hairs which help them touch and navigate. They have large, seal-like bodies, paired flippers, and a round tail. Each flipper has three to four nails and their tails are paddle-shaped. They spend most of their time underwater and can go as long as 12 minutes underwater in one breath, however the average is around 4 minutes. Manatees consume submerged and floating plant life as well as some small fish and vertebrates. They spend around 5-8 hours a day eating. Florida Manatees can be found in estuaries, freshwater rivers, and in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean near Florida and the Caribbean. Antillean Manatees can be found in the same areas as well as the Caribbean coasts of Central America and in northern South America. 

West Indian Manatee range

Listing

West Indian Manatees have no known natural predators and so have the ability to live to nearly 60 years of age. It is unlikely, however, that most manatees will reach this age because of limiting factors. These factors include but are not limited to watercraft collisions, gatelock, loss of warm water habitat, red tide blooms, pollutants in food supply, and entanglement in fishing gear. These threats can cause and do continue to cause declines in reproductive rates, survival rates, and the carrying capacity of the ecosystem. Manatees are considered vulnerable by the Red List for Endangered Species but are considered by most to be endangered. They were labeled as endangered in 1967 under a law that preceded the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Their continued survival is limited due to their low reproductive rates. 

Graph of Manatee mortality rate in Florida

Recovery Plan

The goal of the recovery plan is to allow for the long term success of the Florida manatee in the wild. Along with this comes the goal of reclassifying the manatee from endangered to threatened status and eventually removing it from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. The main conservation efforts of the recovery plan include maintaining minimum spring flows, protecting warm-water refuge sites, protecting foraging habitat in the refuge sites, and reducing unauthorized human- caused take (boat strikes, navigation lock, pollutants). To prevent boat strikes, the highest cause of mortality, they create manatee protection zones throughout the rivers and bays. They also enforce manatee protection speed zone rules to limit collisions. To prevent entrapment in water control centers and in locks, openings in locks are made wide enough for manatees to fit through. Pressure sensor devices are also installed to detect when manatees enter these facilities so that they can be safely let out. Acoustic sensors are also developed to close locks before the manatees can enter them and be entrapped. To prevent ill effects of coastal development along the coast of Florida strict permits are established so that manatee habitat will not be altered or destroyed. Land may also be acquired so that manatee habitat can remain where it is and remain a safe zone.The plan as a whole will hopefully ensure a healthy existence of manatees in and around Florida by lessening and eliminating these threats and limiting factors. To be properly declassified to threatened status, the annual rate of adult survival must be at least 90% and the average annual percentage of adult females with calves in the winter must be at least 40%. It all takes time, but through these efforts, eventually the West Indian Manatee will sustain a healthy, safe population.

Manatee sanctuary

Personal Action
If there is one thing that every citizen should know it is that there is always something that can be done to help. It is true, there are hundreds of different species of plant and animal life that are endangered or threatened. It can seem overwhelming or impossible to tackle such a seemingly daunting task. It is the efforts of the lone individual, however, that can have the most impact and effect in the end. The West Indian Manatee is an important part of the ecosystem around Florida and it must be saved. Boaters in the area need to take it upon themselves to slow down and be cautious in areas where manatees are present. People also can become informed about the issue and the circumstances surrounding the manatees and teach others around them. Becoming aware of the problem is very important and by alerting other people about it too, that is a huge help. Volunteering to help create sanctuaries or rescue manatees is another thing we all can do to help support the species as a whole. To learn more about opportunities to help the West Indian Manatee or to learn more about the species in general visit savethemanatee.org

The good news is that it isn’t too late yet and also that it doesn’t take a huge amount of change to help out. Small actions taken by individuals are the impetus for a worldwide change.

Works Cited

Florida Manatee. Digital image. Defenders. Defenders, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015. 

"Florida Manatee Recovery Plan." U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (2001): n. pag. Environmental Conservation FWS. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 30 Oct. 2001. Web. 29 Nov. 2015. 

"Manatee Facts." Save the Manatee. Save the Manatee Club Inc., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015. 

Report Template. Digital image. Florida Fish and Wildlife Institute. FFWI, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015. 

Sonya, Karen. These Are West Indian Manatees. Digital image. Epubbub. Epubhub, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015. 

West Indian Manatee. Digital image. National Geographic Kids. National Geographic, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015. 

"West Indian Manatee." National Wildlife Federation. National Wildlife Federation, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

What's the Scoop on Sea Otters?

The Southern Sea Otter

By: Zachary Sutcliffe

Imagine this...

You're kayaking in Morro Bay, the waves are calm, and you decide to work your way towards a romp of otters to take pictures. The otters are as cute as ever, playing with their clams as they float on their backs and smile. You come back over the next  few years to see these otters again, but you begin to notice less and less otters. You begin to wonder why. 

Well look no further, because I am here to tell you all about the conservation efforts towards the southern sea otter!

Description and Ecology of Organism

The Southern Sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) is native to the California coast that ranges from Half Moon Bay to Point Conception. The average adult male sea otter is approximately 4.5 feet long and 65 pounds, while the adult female sea otter averages at 4 feet long and 45 pounds. Equipped with padded forepaws with claws for feeding and grooming, a uniform tail and hind legs for swimming, in addition to dense underfur for insulation, the southern sea otter is well adapted for its aqueous surroundings. The sea otters have a typical lifespan of 10-15 years. Sea otters typically feast on fish. Females are able to reproduce at age 3, and males at age 5. The high times of reproductivity are from late February to early April. 

Geographic and Population Changes

In the 18th and 19th centuries the otters faced extinction due to exploitation. In 1911 through the International Fur Seal Treaty, populations increased again in the Kuril Islands, Kamchatka Peninsula, and the North Pacific rim to the Prince William Sound. The otters found southeast of the Prince William Sound are in Washington, Alaska, British Columbia, and California. Although populations have been decreasing, the distribution of otters has no signs of being decreased.

Listing Date and Type of Listing

The Southern Sea otter was listed as threatened on January 14th, 1977 in the California/Nevada Region.

Cause of Listing and Main Threats

Due to the otters limited population size and distribution, in addition to its potential jeopardy to the habitat and population due to oil spills, the otter was listed as threatened. Petroleum development problems such as oil spills are one of the biggest factors in the mortality of sea otters. Other factors include vessels accidentally striking the otters, and otters getting stuck in traps set up by fisheries. 

Description of Recovery Plan

The strategy of the recovery plan is to determine the cause of the increased mortality, to mitigate that cause, and to allow the number of sea otters to increase to the point where their is no lack of genetic diversity. The plan highlights vessel management to reduce oil spills, and a shift away from management zones and relocation management to courses of action that hopefully will be more advantageous in the protection of sea otters than the translocation program. The overall goal of the recovery plan is to successfully increase the otter populations to the point where they can be delisted from the Endangered Species Act.

Personal Action

As personal action, I think that the biggest way I can affect the saving of the sea otters is by purchasing less oil, or in other words buying less gas. By buying less gas, I am helping to prevent against oil spills. Although this does not seem as though it is helping that much because is it very indirect, if more people followed this action, the southern sea otter population could experience noticeable increases in population and distribution. I hope everyone reading this blog will join me in our efforts to save the southern sea otter by purchasing less gas, so ride a train, or carpool to school or work, or even trade in that car of yours for a bike! Together we can save the otters. The first step, try looking at the sites below for more information!

Check out these sites for more info!

http://www.seaotters.org

http://seaotters.com/research-conservation/

Works Cited

Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.usgs.gov/blogs/features/files/2014/09/2014-Spring-Survey-Figure51.jpg>.

N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.glogster.com/greengeekster/history-fair/g-6mamfe2mciud89d8bt721a0>.

N.d. Web. <http://superbeefy.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/sea-otters.jpg>.

"SEAOTTERS.COM – POWERED BY CUTENESS™." SEAOTTERSCOM POWERED BY CUTENESS RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2015. <http://seaotters.com/sea-otters/>.

"Species Profile for Southern Sea Otter (Enhydra Lutris Nereis)." Species Profile for Southern Sea Otter (Enhydra Lutris Nereis). N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015. <http://ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/profile/speciesProfile?spcode=A0A7>.

Peninsular Range Bighorn Sheep: 

Habitat Under Attack

By Zac Slavich

Description

Bighorn sheep (Ovis Canadensis) is a species of sheep native to North America. They have ancient roots in Northern America, crossing the Bering land bridge, which existed from 1,000,000 to 10,000 years ago. Bighorns are named for their large horns that can weigh up to 30 pounds. Their coats range in color from light brown to dark brown, with white coloration on their rump and the back of all four of their legs. Males will typically weigh 127-316 lb., measure 36-41 in tall at the shoulder, and 69-79 in long from nose to tail. Females will weigh 75-188 lb., 30-36 in tall, and 54-67 in long. Rocky Mountain Bighorns will be larger than the typical ranges given, weighing up to 500 lb. The Peninsular Range sheep that we will be discussing are on the lower range of the spectrum weighing around 200 lb. 

Comparison of a young ram (below) and a ewe (above)

Habitat
The Peninsular Bighorn Sheep is restricted to the east facing, lower elevation slopes (below 1,400 meters) of the Peninsular Ranges along the northwestern edges of the Sonoran Desert. They require open terrain with good visibility to be able to spot predators at a distance since bighorn sheep rely primarily on their sight. Within their hot, arid habitat, the availability of water is crucial along with forage resources. 

Figure 1: Peninsular Range Bighorns are classified as
O.c. cremnobates

Limiting Factors and Imperilment
The limiting factors of Bighorn Sheep vary with each ewe group. These factors include predation, urban related sources of mortality, low rates of lamb recruitment, disease, habitat loss, and human related disturbance. Their habitat has been fragmented and degraded by the development of highways and other impassible human obstructions. The affects of this have magnified by the the introduction of domesticated animals in or around their habitat. Domesticated animals carry transmittable diseases that are easily passed to bighorns impacting their population negatively. The stress put on them and the fact that their habitats have been isolated has lead to low reproduction rates in the population. Due to these factors the population of the bighorn sheep that inhabit the Peninsular Ranges is critically low, leading to their classification as an endangered species on May 18,1998. During that time their population consisted of 334 animals, distributed in 8 known ewe groups. As of 2010 the population of the Peninsular Range Bighorn had grown to 955 individuals.
Recovery Plan and Criterion

         In response to the critically low population of sheep, scientists have developed 2 criterion that need to be met in order for the species to be down listed from an endangered too a threatened status. First, there must be at least 25 ewes must be present in each of the 9 regions of the Peninsular Ranges for 6 consecutive years (1 bighorn generation). The 9 regions include the: San Jacinto Mountains, Santa Rosa Mountains (North and South of Highway 74, South of Martinez Canyon), Coyote Canyon, North and South San Ysidro Mountains, Vallecito Mountains, and Carrizo Canyon/Tierra Blanca Mountains/Coyote Mountains Area. The second criterion is an improvement of the regulatory mechanisms and land management commitments that have been established to provide better long-term protection of the Peninsular Range Bighorn Sheep. 
          Delisting is the complete removal of the Peninsular Range Bighorn from the endangered and threatened species list. The delisting criteria is essentially the same in the first criterion except there must be at least 25 ewes for 12 consecutive years (2 generations). For the other two criterion required for delisting, a range wide population of 750 individuals must exist for 12 consecutive years, and long-term regulatory mechanisms must be maintained to ensure the protection of the species. Scientists have estimated that this plan will take several decades to take effect. The plan is still in its down listing phase and the Peninsular Bighorn is still classified as endangered. 

The recovery plan covers both short term and long-term strategies. In terms of short-term activities, improving adult survivorship of the population seems most beneficial. Over the long term, primary actions should be focused on conservation of the bighorn sheep’s habitat. These goals will be accomplished by effective management of the species and conserved land upon which they rely. The prevention of habitat fragmentation caused by urban disturbances is key to the survival of ewe groups and adequate buffer space must be provided in order prevent human influences on the population of bighorn sheep. To lessen the effects of habitat fragmentation, land bridges should be established to allow populations of bighorns to cross over or under man made obstructions. Implemented buffer space will also prevent livestock interaction with the rams limiting the amount of diseases they are exposed to.

Figure 2: Steady population growth means an effective
recovery plan

What Can You Do?
The recovery plan, in this instance, is mostly reliant on the management efforts of government organizations such as the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service. Because of this, we might ask ourselves, what can we do to help the recovery of the bighorn sheep of the Peninsular Ranges? The first answer is simple and should be applied to all wildlife habitats. Be mindful of your impact on the environment. That means, if you ever find yourself within the habitat of the Peninsular Range Bighorn Sheep, do your best to minimize the impact on the ecosystem. Pick up your trash and the trash of others and be careful with fire as it is one of the main causes of habitat destruction. Essentially do everything you can to prevent a loss of ecosystem not only for the bighorn sheep of the Peninsular Range but for wildlife as a whole. If you still feel the need to do more to help the bighorn sheep of the Peninsular Range, you can donate to the Defenders of Wildlife who use some of these funds to assist in preservation. The link is listed below.    
http://www.defenders.org/bighorn-sheep/basic-facts

For more information take a look at this website:

https://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/Bighorn/Desert/Peninsular/Conservation.html

Works Cited

Rubin, Esther. "Recovery Plan for Bighorn Sheep in the Peninsular Ranges, California." (n.d.): n. pag. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Web. 25 Nov. 2015.

"Bighorn Sheep." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2015.

"Biogeography of Bighorn Sheep." Biogeography of Bighorn Sheep. San Francisco State University, 9 Dec. 2002. Web. 28 Nov. 2015.

"Peninsular Desert Bighorn Sheep Conservation." California Department of Fish and Wildlife. California Department of Fish and Wildlife, n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2015.