Humpy spotted again

This is the newest letter I sent to Ken at fish and wildlife. I was really sick when I saw my baby, my perfect baby, has more scars! I don't know how long I can do this. Doesn't anybody care. This river and the manatees need protection. Homeowners on the river are afraid of getting their boating rights taken away. There has to be some sort of compromise.

Hi Ken,
My husband and I saw Humpy, the baby and Fan way upriver today. I took these pics. Her hump is more pointed on the side now. The baby has new boat scars, one of which is a healed gash on her back, I am sick.

I don't know how you can do what you do, but I appreciate it so much and I know you are helping manatees.
So this trio has been upriver for a couple of weeks now.
Thanks for caring,

STRAY MANATEE, PLEASE DONATE TO SAVE THE MANATEES

An effort has been launched to try to rescue a manatee spotted on a Mississippi River tributary near downtown Memphis, TN. The endangered animal was reported to the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency on Monday, October 23rd. It is estimated that the manatee swam more than 700 miles against the current and dodged busy boat traffic to reach the Memphis destination.
"Save the Manatee Club immediately offered financial assistance for the effort. We have been in regular contact with staff at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and they are working with Tennessee wildlife officials, the Memphis Zoo, and the Manatee Rescue Team from Sea World Orlando," said Patrick Rose, Executive Director of Save the Manatee Club. "The team is in place in Memphis, and they are out on the water now hoping to capture the manatee and bring it to safety.”
Cool water temperatures in the area have been a concern for those who have been monitoring the wayward manatee. A semi-tropical species, manatees cannot usually tolerate water temperatures much lower than 68 degrees for long periods of time. Water temperatures in the Wolf River Harbor, where the manatee has been seen, have been in the 64-degree range.
In the winter, usually November through March, the manatee population is concentrated primarily in Florida. Water temperatures below 21º C (70º F) usually cause manatees to move into warm water refuge areas. Manatees are susceptible to cold-related disease, and they congregate near natural springs or warm water effluents of power plants.If the capture is successful, the manatee will be placed on foam cushions and brought back to Florida in a Sea World rescue truck. Manatees are mammals, so they can, if kept moist, survive out of water for a period of time. Once the manatee reaches Florida, it may need to spend some rehabilitation time at Sea World Orlando before being released to back to the wild. The unusual visitor in the Memphis harbor has attracted much media attention and many onlookers hoping to catch a glimpse of the manatee. Local residents have even nicknamed the animal "Manny." "We don't know why the manatee swam so far up the Mississippi with cold weather approaching, but we are all rooting for his or her safe return and eventual release back into the wild," said Rose.Manatees are an endangered species and are protected under the federal Endangered Species and Marine Mammal Protection Acts.

Manatee Winter

Well the Gulf is cooling and today kayaking on the river I saw 2 manatees in Hospital Hole.

This is a spring area on the river that is a haven for the manatees in the winter.

Took a variety of pics. Hope you enjoy them.

Manatee technicality

Hey, I just wanted to let you know that manatees can support their own weight. Their bones are very dense and solid, unlike whales or dolphins. So they are fine being out of the water for a while. Our girls did just fine, not to worry.

Bones
The manatees anatomy includes the densest bones on earth. Except the sternum and some of the vertebrae of the spine, manatee bones have no marrow at all. These dense bones act like the ballast in a submarine, weighing it down so that when it compresses and shifts the distribution of air in its lungs by use of the diaphragm, a manatee can swiftly sink to the bottom.
They are quite stout, built to carry the large frame of this giant creature. Manatee flippers contain bones that appear surprisingly delicate, and note the five fingers of the "hand." These finger bones are believed, by some to be vestigial remnants of their ancestral terrestrial life.