Classroom project to protect manatees

It may look like the kids from Crystal River Primary School are just playing around in the water, but there is much more going on.

“Being able to have these kids take part in this program is so important,” said Jessica Mailliez, Senior Environmental Manager with Sea & Shoreline.

The program is part of EcoWeek. Save Crystal River and Sea & Shoreline are teaming up with 5th graders who have been growing eelgrass in their classrooms. Now they are planting that main source of food for manatees off the shore of Hunter Springs.

“Kind of watching it grow in your classroom and then planting out here feels like an accomplishment. You feel like you are really helping your community,” said student Kaylum Clayton.

“They are going to get to watch it grow. We are going to protect it with some cages. And they are going to get to come back and show their friends. Show their family and really be a part of this whole entire restoration,” said Maillez.

We’ve seen a record number of manatee deaths in recent years, most of Florida’s east coast.

But experts say last year’s 556 deaths was the lowest in six years.

Sea & Shoreline has now planted more than a hundred acres of eel grass here.

That grew to more than 300 acres, and despite some setbacks from the last hurricane, the grass is recovering.

“We are doing this because we want our waterways clean. But we want these kids to learn about it and what it takes to be an environmental steward and that they can help,” said Save Crystal River President Lisa Moore.

The kids are learning a lot of manatees here and how to protect them.

That includes not littering the water and not tearing up the sea grass with anchors.

The first group of 5th graders to go through this program are now graduating high school.

And this latest class now has learned to appreciate the manatees.

“I know they are a big part of our environment. They are a big tourist attraction for Florida and they make a lot of money and revenue and they are the main basis of Crystal River really,” said Clayton.