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Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is deciding whether to change the classification of manatees from endangered to threatened.  Manatees have been on the state endangered list since 1979. This year’s annual census recorded about 2,800 of the sea cows in Florida water, up from around 1,300 counted in first survey in 1991.

“I think we need to protect these gentle creatures,” said Gov. Charlie Crist. “I’ve consistently felt that way.  I was just mentioning that when I was in the state Senate, I introduced a bill to have prop guards to protect them from the cuts they get that kind of break your heart.  Not kind of, they do break your heart.”

A reclassification would not change the protection enjoyed by the species, and the manatee would continue to have federal endangered status.