On Patrol Location: Crystal River, Florida Day 17 by Karen Brown

The Fish and Wildlife Service in Crystal River is in charge of the wildlife sanctuaries in the area. These sanctuaries are roped-off areas where people and their boats cannot go. They are only for wildlife, especially manatees. The rangers have roped-off the warm water springs and some other places so the manatees would be able to get away from people and their boats. Manatees need safe places to eat and sleep and have their babies.

Visitors find out about these sanctuaries whenever they go snorkeling with a tour company or when they rent a boat in the area. They are required to watch a video about protecting the manatees. They are also given a map that shows them where they can and cannot go.

Even though the ropes are in place and there are signs telling people where the sanctuaries are, and people have a map and have seen a video, sometimes people end up in the sanctuary. Maybe the person didn't understand. Maybe the person got excited and followed a manatee into the sanctuary. Or maybe the person decided that the law didn't apply to him or her. Or maybe the person thought that it was OK to break the law as long as no one was looking.

Because of this problem of people going into the roped-off areas police officers from the Fish and Wildlife Service patrol Crystal River and the surrounding area in their special police boat. We joined Mr. Steve Rees, Police Officer and Mr. Jeff Jauschneg, Refuge Officer on their early morning patrol.

First we went to the Banana Island. There were several boats anchored there near the main warm water springs. Quite a few people were in the water looking at the manatees. We were only there a few minutes when we saw two children go over the rope and into the sanctuary area.

Officer Rees and Officer Jauschneg quickly discovered which boat they had come from and talked to their parents. Then they called the children over and talked to them. They told the children that they were police officers and that they weren't allowed to swim on the other side of the rope. The kids explained that they didn't understand which side of the rope was OK and that they were following a manatee. The officers made sure that both the kids and their parents understood the law and then let them go.

Office Rees said they do not usually give a ticket right away. If the people agree to follow the law then they just talk to them and make sure they understand. Sometimes when there are a lot of people in the water, the officers will use a kayak, put on their wetsuits, and go out and watch people in the water. They have cloth badges that they show.

We left Banana Island and headed for Three Sisters. Officer Rees slowly drove the patrol boat while Officer Jauschneg watched for manatees. We also watched for speeding boats but we didn't see any.

On our way to Three Sisters we spotted a snorkeler in a sanctuary called Gator Hole. It was a teenage boy. His parents and his sister were on a rented motorboat. The officers identified themselves and spoke to the parents. Then the boy swam back to the boat. Officer Rees asked him if he saw the video before they went out in the boat. He said yes. Then Officer Rees asked him if he understood it. He said he didn't really pay attention. Then Officer Rees made sure he understood by explaining why the ropes were there and that no one is allowed to go in there. For a minute I thought he was going to give him a ticket! But he didn't. He just made him promise not to do it again.

Officer Rees told us later that they do not give tickets to juveniles. But he could have given the parents a ticket because they are responsible for their children. The ticket would have cost them $100.00 just for swimming in the sanctuary. If would cost another $250.00 if the officers saw the person chasing or otherwise bothering a manatee.

Today I learned that it is a very serious offense to break the laws protecting manatees. I also learned that people often do break the law. Sometimes the officers are close by to stop the people. I'm sure it happens when they aren't around, too. Fortunately there is a group of volunteers called Manatee Watch who take turns going out on their kayaks to talk to people who go into the sanctuary or bother manatees. The Manatee Watch people are not able to make arrests or give tickets, but they can inform and educate and tell people where it is OK to be with manatees.

Education is the key. The more people know about manatees, the more they will understand how and where the manatees live. Then they will understand how necessary it is for all of us to obey the laws protecting the manatees

Manatee Fun Fact: A mother manatee will go to a quiet backwater area away from all other manatees to give birth to her baby. She will stay there a few days to bond with her baby. That is one reason why sanctuaries for manatees are so important.

These kids were swimming inside the markers for the manatee sanctuary.

Officer Jauschneg points to the manatee sanctuary sign and markers. He says only manatees are supposed to be in there.

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