How to Help Manatees

Raise awareness. Discuss manatees with friends, teach children about them or write letters to the newspaper. If more people are conscious of manatees and their plight, more people can help in other ways.

Go political. Let lawmakers know that you are serious about helping the manatee and you want them to be serious about it too. Write to your congressmen or the president. Florida residents can also write to their governor.

Spend your money wisely. Donate to an organization that helps manatees, or purchase items from these organizations. Florida residents can purchase special manatee license plates with the cost going to the government's manatee protection efforts. Adopt a manatee for yourself or for a loved one.

Be a conscientious boater. Obey all signs and boating laws. Be alert when you are in the warm waters of rivers, bays, estuaries, and coastal regions. Do not dump trash overboard as this may injure the manatees.

Report any injured or deceased manatees. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission personnel pick up carcasses and evaluate injured manatees to determine if a rescue is necessary. They work with other organizations to rescue the injured and sick ones.

Volunteer your time and services. Manatee organizations, such as Save the Manatee, recruit volunteers to do public outreach, office help and letter and email campaigns. People who live on the waterways can also report any manatee sightings to research groups.