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Very sad, especially the guys riding them, and climbing all over their backs.
The OPS need to be held accountable. Making a buck is one thing. But they can do so without harassing the wildlife.
I hope that video like this results in positive action for the Ops involved, and a review of the entire industry. Unfortunately what it may result in is the banning of video at the site!
__________________
Ron
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This is intolerable. That boat operator and his staff are reprehensible in their actions. They're actually SHOWING CHILDREN how to harass the STATE AND FEDERALLY PROTECTED manatees.
I want this operator's name burned in my skull, so I can forever remember it to tell every person to not merely avoid, but regard with contempt.
Then I want these videos mailed to people with high-end political connections. I guess State's already covered... here's the feds and an extremely active watchdog group.
1. World Wildlife Fund
1250 Twenty-Fourth Street, N.W.
P.O. Box 97180
Washington, DC 20090-7180
2. Chief, Endangered Species
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Region Four — Southeast
1875 Century Blvd., Suite 200
Atlanta, GA 30345 Region 4 - Ecological Services
Mark, keep up this outstanding work you are doing. I really want to know just where the **** the local law enforcement is on the water around there, and how they could let things like this occur.
I emphatically hope that anyone seeing these videos is at least half as repulsed and infuriated as I am. And that such people in the local area spread this around so that tourists can get access to the information. Perhaps the *decent* manatee outfitters would be so kind as to incorporate some of this video footage into their introductory spiels. It won't erase the illegal harassment and public mis-education already done, but it'll sure give pause to future slimebags who abuse their rights to be near these animals.
There is no excuse for this behavior in the United States. None at all.
Does anybody know the FWC or FWS number or a number to report manatee abuse. If someone posts it and enough of us call, hopefully something will be done
It truly is a disturbing video especially where the calf is separated from the mother. I have had several wonderful opportunites to interact with manatees in the Florida Springs. It's very exciting when they approach you, truly awesome. It's so much better when a calm and curious manatee wants to have a visit with you. Thanks for taking the time to make the video. The abuse must stop.
American Pro Diving Center Response to Mark AKA Decopixel
The First video, with the added manatee squeaking, you see are manatee segments NOT OF US but a collection of video Mark and friends have put together to discredit American Pro Diving Centers Education Program. See Why... The only clip of us was when our staff would not let a stranger video the children. This STRANGER slept on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife's Kiosk (the in water floating information boat at the main spring) woke up out of his sleep on the Kiosk and crawled out of his sleeping bag and entered the water in the manatee sanctuary. The sanctuary is for the manatees not film photographers and is against the law to enter. This stranger then swam thru the sanctuary to our kids group and started filming the kids... NOT MANATEES. Mark did not like our staff telling him to get out of the sanctuary! The parents, teachers and our staff began to be very concerned, as I think you would, if a stranger was videoing your children. The children were in small groups and this morning was very cool with lots of manatees at the spring. This stranger now named Mark was asked several times by our staff and the school teachers not to video the KIDS! and he was shown where other manatees were as its was a cold morning with approximately 50 manatees at the spring. Mark said he had permission to sleep on the Kiosk, he was working for a University and he DID NOT NEED permission to video CHILDREN. We contacted US Fish and Wildlife who is in charge of the preserve to find that Mark was not telling the truth and he did not have permission from US Fish and Wildlife nor was he with a University as he stated. US Fish and Wildlife found Mark later and he was informed and noted...contact US Fish and Wildlife as to their conversation with Mark. Imagine as a parent, your children on an education fieldtrip being videoed with out your permission... And by someone who just crawled out of a sleeping bag on a boat that was not his. This is what Mark was doing even after several attempts by our staff and teachers asking him not to video the children. As a parent, this is not expectable in our day and age!
Thanks Ron owner American Pro Diving Center
Mark has added a second video that has a view from a far distance with creative narration of manatees so called breaching several times but as you see the manatee never leaves but stays in the same location even though the video is creatively narrated as the manatee is trying to get away. There is only one person there with a very playful manatee. This video view is in the middle of the spring area with plenty of room for the manatee to leave if they so desire. Again there were several manatees in the area. Not all of the kids were with manatees at the same time as there was instruction being given on snorkeling which is not shown. Also not shown was how there were lots of other things to see like the many fish and the many manatees at King Spring on that day...not just one. Our boats are anchored away from the manatee not on top of them as we do not want to disturb them when getting on and off the boat. Half the time on this video the guides and the kids have their masks out of the water but the narration is the group is cornering or chasing...?? But they are not even looking in the water. Mark and his friends are only showing and narrating what they want you to believe. Again this creatively narrative videoing and attack on us started when Mark wanted to put himself in the middle of the kids group to video children and as parents we said NO to this stranger.
Thanks Ron Owner American Pro Diving Center
Wow, your staff had so much time on their hands they could watch this strangers activities on land all the while herding a manatee and keeping tabs on 40 CHILDREN and their parents and teachers. That's a pretty intensive staffing pattern!
Thank you Ron for your explanation however distorted from the truth it was. I know you were not on the water that day and your second hand knowledge must be coming from guides who are trying to defend themselves to you. If you would like me to post the video showing where I was located, I would be happy to do so. I have the video from the viewing platform as well as pictures from the shore which obviously show my location. It is clearly NOT in the sanctuary. Never have I entered the manatee sanctuary nor would I. The audio from that morning before your boat arrived on scene, while I was recording underwater and above, never has a single comment about me being in the sanctuary or getting out of it as you state or your guides have told you. However, your employees threatening me with a fin, laughing as they try to splash my equipment, and saying derogatory comments about me in front of your guests is clearly audible.
I can post that video and audio of your guides trying to damage my equipment by splashing it if you would like. And if you would care for it, I will gladly post the audible exchange between your employees and me clearly stating that I did not want to film the children but just the manatee. I even asked them to escort me over there if that was truly their concern so I could identify which mother calf pair I had been recording audio of during the night and early morning. Yes, I told them I had permission and was doing research. I thought it would allow me access to film the manatee I had been recording with my hydrophone. It was an error on my part to say so. In a way I'm glad I wasn't, It would have been even more difficult to defend why your employees didn't grant access to a researcher instead of an amateur film maker.
Your guides tried to quote to me the Jessica Lundsford act as a reason or the law as to why I couldn't film your manatee harassment in a public waterway. I understand how tragic Jessica's death was and how it affected the community there. However that law relates to the registration and tracking of child molesters and sex offenders and those who may be working in and around children. For you or them to insinuate that I wanted to film children is preposterous and a cheap attempt for you to discredit me and defend your company's behavior. Simply stated, I can back up my documentary with unedited video, photographic, and audio proof and I am ready to do so.
Also, there is no editing in the sequence of your guides capturing the manatee. Not a single edit. Just one continuous piece of film. What reason would a guide, who has touched a manatee many times before, have for touching one now except to either manipulate or habituate that animal. I want nothing more then our younger generations to know and protect the manatee. I do want your education programs to continue. I know you pass on important information and for the most part is a good solid program. Please continue them just change the way you do the encounter part. Find a way to do this without manipulating the manatee and altering their natural behavior. Try a few kids in the water at a time, try an underwater camera, or just don't try so hard to ensure that encounter.
Thank you
Mark
__________________
AKA Decopixel
Last edited by marksm; February 19th, 2008 at 11:43 AM..
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