November is Manatee Awareness Month
In 1979, Bob Graham, the late former governor of Florida and co-founder of the Save the Manatee Club, made a significant declaration by naming November as Manatee Awareness Month. This initiative coincided with Florida's first efforts to establish manatee protection zones, highlighting the need to safeguard these gentle marine mammals. Although Florida didn't officially recognize this designation until 2005, the impact has been felt over the decades. Celebrating 45 years of Manatee Awareness Month reminds us of the importance of conserving the manatee population and their habitats, raising public consciousness about the challenges they face, and encouraging responsible stewardship of Florida's waterways.
November is particularly significant for Florida manatees as they begin seeking warmer waters. At the time of his declaration, less than 1,000 Florida manatees were thought to remain. As governor, Graham was pivotal in launching the state’s manatee protection movement through legislation addressing growing threats such as habitat loss, watercraft collisions, and pollution. We face the urgency of protecting this imperiled species that would become Florida’s official state marine mammal in 1975. In 1981, Graham partnered with Jimmy Buffett, a fellow manatee advocate, to co-found Save the Manatee Club.
Since the proposal for Manatee Awareness Month 45 years ago, it has become a vital platform for driving legislative change, promoting public education, and advancing research efforts to conserve the species. Manatee Awareness Month has grown significantly since 1979, evolving into a national and global effort to highlight the importance of protecting these threatened creatures.
Manatees face a dire future, with extinction looming in our lifetime. We hope you are inspired to join us in celebrating Manatee Awareness Month by taking action to protect these gentle giants and their habitat.
