U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service                                                      

Chassahowitzka NWR Complex                                                   

1502 SE Kings Bay Dr.

Crystal River, FL 34429

Phone: 352-563-2088       Fax:    352-795-7961

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE          Release #:   CHS 12-07

DATE:              March 28, 2012                               Contact: Michael Lusk, 563-2088, x202   

Aerial Manatee Survey for CrystalRiverNational Wildlife Refuge 

Staff from the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge conducted an aerial survey of manatees on March 28, 2012.  A total of 76 manatees was counted along the survey route, stretching from the Cross Florida Barge Canal, near Inglis, south to the Homosassa River.  Included along this route are the Crystal River, Kings Bay, the discharge of the Crystal River Power Plant, Salt River, and the Homosassa River, which includes the Blue Waters.   

Wednesday’s count:

                King’s Bay:                   18   +     8 calves =    26       

                Crystal River:               16   +     6 calves =    22               

                Salt River:                       3  +     2 calves =      5                      

                Power Plant Discharge Canal:      10   +     3 calves =    13                  

                Cross Florida Barge Canal:            0                 =      0

                Homosassa River (Blue Waters):      3                        =      3            

                Lower Homosassa River:                 6   +     1 calf     =      7                  

                Total:           56   +   20 calves =    76       

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.  The Service manages the 97-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses more than 556 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas.  It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 81 ecological services field stations.  The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts.  It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to State fish and wildlife agencies.