What is a manatee and why is it important to protect it? While river otters are in danger around the world, their protection in Florida is undergoing a shake-up
River dachshunds have been nicknamed "sea cows," and like cows, they are also herbivores. But these gentle giants – Marine mammals Fascinating and important – disappearing. Hundreds of river dachshunds die each year from malnutrition, starvation, and pollution. While all river dachshund species are endangered and their populations are dwindling, the Caribbean river dachshund has not received the status change it deserves to help its conservation after years of struggle.
The Caribbean river dachshund is divided into two subspecies – the Florida (Trichechus manatus latirostris), common to the coasts of Florida and the Antilles (Trichechus manatus manatus) common in the Caribbean region. Recently decided The United States Fish and Wildlife Service has decided to keep the Florida species listed as Vulnerable, while the Antillean species has been given the status of Endangered, a status that gives it more protection under the Endangered Species Act. The decision was made based on Evaluations that the Florida population of the species numbers over 8,000 individuals and has shown signs of stability in recent years, while ignoring the fact that more than 2,000 individuals have died in the last two years due to habitat loss and pollution. At the same time, the population of the Antillean species in Puerto Rico counter About 250 individuals. "Both species face the same threats, but the Antillean manatee also faces illegal hunting in many Caribbean countries," explains Dr. Beth Brady, a manatee researcher and director of science and conservation for the Florida-based Save The Manatee Club (SMC).
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service believes that the Florida River Dachshund has sufficient food sources, stable population trends, and adequate warm-water systems (where the river dachshund spends the winter, AA) and therefore does not meet the criteria for endangered status,” Brady says. However, “the evidence they used to assess population trends and food source availability is outdated, and such decisions should be based on the best and most up-to-date scientific data, which was not the case with the agency’s proposal.” The status of a species as ‘vulnerable’ or ‘endangered’ is significant for conservation efforts and their funding, so SMC and its partners are filing objections and launching petitions in an attempt to reverse the decision and have the Florida River Dachshund classified as an endangered species.
What is the connection between Trump and manatees?
The Endangered Species Act has undergone upheavals as a result of changes in administration in the United States. Already in his first term, the President of the United States carried out Donald Trump Amendments and reforms that weakened the law, which were followed Canceled during the Biden administration – And now he's doing it again. Immediately after his inauguration, he underwriter About dozens of presidential orders. Of these, the one that is particularly worrying to environmental organizations is the order ""Declaration of an energy emergency." This order calls for the convening of a committee tasked with identifying and overcoming any obstacles to energy infrastructure development arising from the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act by taking steps specifically related to the classification of endangered species.
"Although the proposal was passed before Trump was inaugurated and the change of administration, we are certainly concerned about the current administration's agenda and policy of weakening the Endangered Species Act, as well as the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which is going to affect conservation activities for endangered animals," says Brady. The Trump administration and the speed with which its policies are taking effect pose significant difficulties in issues of animal species conservation and cast doubt on the power of objections and petitions to change the decision. Lee Zeldin's announcement, head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in mid-March about repealing 31 environmental protection regulations is intensifying concerns.
The dangers to privacy around the world
It's not just Florida's river otter populations that are threatened, but all otter species worldwide are at risk. "The main threats to otters come from human activities. They are exposed to mortality from vessel strikes, loss of food sources due to construction and pollution, loss of habitat, and loss of habitat." Hot water sources", and entanglement in fishing lines and ropes," Brady explains. In the winter, the otters swim to warmer water sources, such as springs, to survive the colder season. The loss of these warm water sources is largely due to development, over-pumping of hot spring water, and rising sea levels.
Another growing threat to privacy is waste PlasticAccording to the findings of study Conducted in Tampa Bay, Florida, plastic particles of various sizes were found in the digestive tracts of most river dachshunds sampled. Additional report shows that of 700 river otters sampled between 2009 and 2018 in the Gulf of Mexico and the southeastern coast of the United States, 99 percent were harmed by plastic through ingestion or entanglement. “It’s generally unclear how microplastics affect them physiologically, but we hypothesize that it may affect the digestive system,” says Brady.
Dachshunds in the Red Sea
The Red Sea also has humpback whales; they belong to the species Mishkan humpback whale, which is classified as "vulnerable." There have been several documented sightings in the northern Red Sea, Mainly to the coast of Egypt, and there was evidence For the presence of a mother and cub in 2019 In Marsa Alam. "The humpback whale has not been observed in Israel in the Gulf of Eilat to date. The observations in the Gulf are few and south of Eilat," says Dr. Aviad Sheinin, director of the superpredator division at the Morris Kahn Marine Research Station, Czerny School of Marine Sciences at the University of Haifa, and co-director of the Delphis association, which works for marine mammals in Israel. "Their distribution is relatively rare and includes the northern Gulf region, where humpback whales have been observed in protected areas such as the Abu Golum Reserve and the Nabak Reserve in Egypt. These areas offer suitable habitats with seagrass beds, which are an important food source for the humpback whales. In the southern Gulf of Eilat, there have been occasional sightings near the coastal areas of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which also include seagrass beds, but sightings there are less frequent. According to data from 10 years ago, the population of the Egyptian shores was estimated at between 73–97 individuals, while at the same time study Over 79 percent of fishermen interviewed feared they would become extinct in the future.
“The overall population of the house dachshund in the Gulf of Eilat is scattered and faces threats such as habitat destruction and human activity,” explains Sheinin. According to him, they are rare in the Gulf for several main reasons: habitat destruction, marine pollution and vessel traffic. “Seagrass beds, which are the main food source for the house dachshund, have been damaged by human activities such as construction, fishing and tourism; water pollution from industrial waste and plastic affects the quality of the house dachshund’s habitats and makes it difficult for them to find suitable food; and they are susceptible to damage from vessels, especially in areas with high marine traffic,” he says.
The seagrass is disappearing – are the tahsils also disappearing?
Between the kelp and the seagrass systems there is a Interdependence, which has evolved over millions of years. Seagrass is the main food source for kelp. When they graze and mow the grass, they cut off the top but leave the rhizomes intact, encouraging regeneration while preventing overgrowth. “As a keystone species, kelp serves as an indicator of the health of the ecosystem,” explains Brady. “Their disappearance signals an underlying problem in the habitat. Seagrass is critical not only as a food source for kelp but also provides habitat for other animal species and stabilizes the shoreline. For example, In the Indian River Lagoon [In Florida], significant loss of seagrass led to the collapse of the kelp population due to food shortages. As a result of this complex relationship, damage to the seagrass harms the kelp, and conversely, the disappearance of the kelp will harm the seagrass systems and their ecological role.
Seagrass meadows נעלמים At a rate of about 7 percent per year since the 90s, due to many variables, including climate change, coastal development, pollution, overfishing, and other human-caused factors. Beyond charismatic flagship species like loggerhead sea turtles that need seagrass to survive, they provide shelter, food, and habitat for thousands of marine species (including fish and invertebrates). They also play another important role, as explained by Prof. Gil Rilov To 'angle': “[Seagrass] has a tremendous capacity to release oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. It’s an important part of our fight against climate change.” He added that, even here in the Gulf of Eilat, protecting seagrass is not popular enough. As Brady explains, persevering in the fight for key species like river otters is not just a matter of saving one species – it’s critical to preserving entire ecosystems and maintaining the health of the sea and beaches.
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