* Gentle Giants -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >From an article in issue JUNE 96 Dive International: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE PLIGHT OF THE MANATEE To beat the tourist boats with their camera-waving cargo, we had to leave the dock at 5.30am. We were hoping to see and photograph a famly of manatees in their main wintering ground in Crystal River, Florida. But if we arrived after seven o'clock, we risked sharing their company with 50 or 60 other visitors, disgorged by the boats, who …
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…Manatees are too friendly and approachable for their own good. We left them with a deep sense of sadness, knowing we could probably never snorkel with them again. I feel I could not do anything further to add to their already gross exploitation. We had witnessed enough. The gentle giants should be left in peace and I can only hope my photographs will be more than a fading record for future history lessons. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography**