SandDancr's Corner of the Beach - Dolphins, Whales and Manatees

Collage

Dolphins whales, and manatees, their numbers diminishing due to pollution, oil spills, collisions with ships, tuna netting, whaling and the increasing UV rays caused by the depletion of the ozone layer, are considered the gentle giants of the sea. Inspiring awe at their size, laughter at their antics, amazement at their dexterity, curiosity about their intelligence and communication patterns, they have provided both the scientific community and the public, with the joy of their being.

Much has been written about dolphins and whales, so I will not belabor the facts, instead providing links for you to research if you would like. The manatee is less well known.

Once thought to be solitary, almost stationary creatures, manatees are in fact friendly and curious.More closely related to elephants than to seals or walruses, these large, herbivorous marine mammals display a pachydermous love for vegetables and communal play. Slow-moving and endangered animals that inhabit coastal waters off the southeastern United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America, manatees have been hunted and inadvertently killed since the turn of the century.

Because of their benign personalities and because they had no natural enemies before the arrival of humans to the New World, manatees are mostly unprepared for the increasing boat traffic that fills most other Florida channels. In 1992, there were over 500 motor boats for each of the less than 2,500 Florida manatees; if manatee mortalities continue at their present rate - over 1,000 deaths have occurred in the past six years, almost a quarter of which resulted from boat collisions - they don't stand a chance.

Please help to preseve the heritage and continued existance of these mammals, for future generations, in any way you see fit.

rule

My love for the sea and it's treasures goes back many years. Summers spent at the beach in Port Aransas, Texas hold fond memories.

My brother, Pierre, has devoted his life to underwater filming. The owner of Crest Films, he has produced many fine films, among which is a film entitiled "Dolphins, Whales and Us". This film has been viewed worldwide... and is often on the Discovery channel.

It is to him that I dedicate this page. His consistant effort to bring knowledge and awareness of the beauty and plight of these gentle creatures, to our attention, is more than deserving.

Please do your share to help Save our Oceans

For more information on these giants of the sea,
or for ways in which you can help,
please take time to visit the following:

Adopt a Dolphin

Adopt a Whale

Adopt a Manatee

Adopt a Killer Whale

Vancouver Aquarium

National Wildlife Association

Daniel McCulloch's Dolphin Synergy

Animals and Endangered Species

Maine Aquarium

Earthwatch

Dolphin Alliance

The website for Marine Mammal Lovers

rule

I love feedback! Please sign my guestbook.

Email SandDancr@mindspring.com

rule

Index
Home	Diana	The Poets' Corner	Love & Loving
Northern Mornings	Stars	The Wall	Wisdom
Wisdom 2	Heaven Sent	The Gallery	My Mother's Art Gallery
Dolphins, Whales & Us	Jukebox	Graphics	Chez Moi
50th Anniversary	Awards	The Attic	Interesting Places
40 + Chatroom	Web Rings	Future	Future
Future	Future	Future	Future

All graphics on this site were designed for this site only
and are copyrighted. Please do NOT use them!

rule

Designed and maintained by Joelle
Copyright ©1997-98 SandDancer Studios

The author is a member of