It's manatee vs. military in pending habitat ruling
chatnoir
headline:
It's manatee vs. military in pending habitat ruling
As the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service considers environmental groups'
bid to expand the creatures' critical habitat in Florida and southern
Georgia, the Navy has concerns about its own turf.
December 22, 2009 | 9:31 p.m.
Reporting from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. - Manatees may rank lower than
traditional military menaces like torpedoes or air-to-sea missiles.
But a proposal to protect additional habitat for the deceptively
gentle, seagrass-munching creatures could, according to the U.S. Navy,
end up reducing habitat for destroyers, aircraft carriers and nuclear
submarines.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service soon will make a decision on
whether to expand what's called critical habitat for the manatee in
Florida and southern Georgia, in response to a petition from several
environmental groups. ... (cont)