Manatees, slow-moving and harmless plant-eating marine mammals, frequent the shallows of Florida’s rivers and coastal ocean.
LENGTH: 48 Minutes
MSRP: $24.95
CATALOG #: 20155
UPC #: 6-4603201559-1
ISBN #: 1-56839-109-9
RELEASE YEAR: 2001
PRODUCER: Oceanic Research Group
NOTES: Bonus Features Behind the scenes featruettes. A gallery of 25 production photographs. Dirctor’s commentary with film makers Art Cohen and Jonathan Bird,
These huge animals, which can be fifteen feet long and weigh 3,000 pounds, eat only aquatic plants. As the number of people living in Florida grows, the number of manatees shrinks, as a result of the development necessary to support the growing population. Many manatees fall victim to dwindling habitats, while others are struck and injured or killed by speedboats. Hundreds of Floridians have joined in an effort to save this captivating animal from extinction. Endangered Mermaids tells the story of the manatee in Florida through the eyes of the many people who study, care for, and rescue them. The film follows the rescue of two manatees stuck in a Cocoa Beach storm drain. Though most animals caught in storm drains do not survive, after a heroic rescue, these manatees were transferred to Sea World for treatment and rehabilitation, then released. This is a powerful film about the animals Columbus once mistook for mermaids, but more importantly, a story about people who are working together towards a common goal to save a species from extinction.
Reviews
“Filmmaker, nature photographer, and manatee-lover Jonathan Bird documents this utterly lovable creature and the current efforts underway to save it, from nail-biting neighborhood rescues from black widow-infested storm drains and rehabilitation at Sea World to scientific research and Floridians’ efforts to educate tourists. Warmly recommended. Three Stars.” – Video Librarian“Plenty of close-up underwater cinematography captures the adult species interacting with each other and their offspring, and dramatic footage of a successful rescue of two manatees from a Florida storm drain illustrates the efforts of determined preservationists. For both school and public library collections.” – Booklist
“Endangered Mermaids is highly recommended for older children and adults.” – Florida Wildlife
