Rangers investigate manatee mutilation in Biscayne Park (Miami, FL)

[seafan]

Rangers investigate manatee mutilation in Biscayne Park

By ELIAS E. LOPEZ
November 12, 2006

Authorities are asking the public for assistance in finding the person or persons guilty of mutilating a manatee, found dead off the shore of Biscayne National Park on Friday.

National Park Service officials responded Friday morning to a boater's report of a dead manatee floating in the bay near the park located at 9700 SW 328 Street in Homestead.
NPS officers say the suspects probably captured the animal -- six feet long, between 500 and 600 pounds -- either late Thursday or early Friday before cutting its throat and cutting off its fins.

''It's pretty disgraceful that a manatee was treated that way,'' said NPS officer Brian Fields. ``They're protected and to see that happening, it's really disturbing.''
The investigation into the mutilation continues, but if officials find that the incident occurred as a result of human abuse, NPS officials say this would be one of the worst cases they have ever seen.

snip

The manatee, long the poster mammal of the environmental movement in Florida, is listed as a threatened species. The docile sea cows face several threats, including deaths from boat strikes, red tide and habitat loss.

The National Park Service is asking anyone with information to call 305-230-1144, ext. 3067.

[Ian David]

1. Maybe the manatee attacked them first?

:sarcasm:

[Ken Burch]

5. No. probably a real hardcore fraternity initiation.

Or Katherine Harris blowing off steam after losing the Senate race.

:sarcasm:

Some folks just weren't raised right.

[northofdenali]

2. This is horrendous. Manatees are gentle, intelligent folks.

People who do this shit don't deserve to live.

[jpak]

3. I sincerely hope they catch those sick fucks

Hopefully, the next time they drank themselfs a case of PBR they'll brag about it to the wrong person...

[salin]

4. here is a link to a manatee cam

or to the gallery of pics from the manatee cam. http://www.manateecam.com/gallery1.html

The mutilation described is simply disgusting.

[leftchick]

6. have all of the bush progeny been accounted for?

we know how much the family loves to torture and kill innocents! :grr:

[NorthernSpy]

7. is it wrong to hope that the people who did this get eaten by sharks?

Poor manatee! I hope the victim was dead and beyond all suffering before those people started sawing its feet off.

:cry:

There was a manatee that swam up here to New England this summer. It was in all the papers -- everyone was very impressed with it.


Wrong or not, I DO hope the guilty get eaten by sharks. Soon.

[roguevalley]

8. no. it would be justice. this defies belief.

[MountainLaurel]

12. Nope, it is justice

That they'd get eaten by sharks. Very slowly.

[hatrack]

9. And people ask me sometimes why I have such a low opinion of my species

:mad:

[seafan]

10. I hear you, hatrack. This angered me beyond words to express it.

[YankeyMCC]

11. There is a bright side of this story

Although it exposes another example of the depths of stupidity and cruelty we humans are capable of there is also the fact that there are good people in NPS and in the community and here at DU that care and find this behavior unacceptable.

Let's hope that fact is backed up by significant punishment for the humans who committed this crime.

[The Stranger]

13. They will never find them.

And if they do, they'll get probation.

Watch.