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10-18-2013, 08:07 PM | #1 |
Snorkel Master
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Lower Keys
Posts: 5,588
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Possible endangered species sighting...Caribbean Monk Seals
I thought some of you would find this interesting. A few days I was delivering a ski for a full day rental to a VERY nice private island called Melody Key( the old 311 band house) right in front of our ski rental on Summerland Key. The house has been showcased on Island Hunters, Travel Channel, and a few other tv shows. Chances are, some of you guys might have seen it. I was shocked to find out that the day before, at sunset, the entire family of 7 people witnessed at least half a dozen or more seals or otters swimming like crazy in the water. A friend of mine had a very interesting dicsussion a few months ago about her potentially seeing some, but was unsure ...fast forward to the other day, my customers said they saw at least six, but there could have been more. They were moving so quickly and sporadically they couldn't get an accurate figure. It looked as if they were playing but with intent, which leads me to believe they were feeding on a school of minnows or other bait. They said two came so close to their pier that they could have almost touched it. Everyone of the people was very sure at what they saw and I believed them very much. The property manager that has worked at that island for 26 years, has never seen or even heard of them....anyways...there might be a comeback for their species in the works, at least we know there is a small pod of them in the area. ...
I honestly think at one point earlier this years I had seen them as well. While in Kemp channel. My roommate and business partner Nichole were anchored eating lunch in the side of the channel and every few minuets i would see what was clearly a head pop out of the water and then go away almost as fast as it came. I saw it a handfull of times, and felt it was circling me, popping his head up a few more times. I wasnt sure what it was, and thought it could have been a Comoran , but thinking back, it certainly wasnt acting like one. The head was much too pronounced to be a bird... I was hoping they got photos or a video, especially when one of the girls came out holding a nice Nikon. But it was almost too dark, they were moving too fast, and none had a real camera other then a cell phone. If it were only one person that claimed they saw it, i would be more skeptical. However, they were all very clear on what they saw . I sat there mid safety speech and was almost ....speechless ...I had to pick the ski up just before sunset and planned on staying out there till it went down, however they were tearing ass out there when i arrived, and i just came back from doing a 2 tank dive...So the chances of any wildlife coming over was slim. According to most articles, they say this species has not been seen since the early 1950s....which i think is pretty cool. You can read some interetesing information about them here. http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/.../pinnipe...anmonkseal.htm Any of you long time residents have any insight? Please share |
10-18-2013, 08:14 PM | #2 |
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Tampa
Posts: 348
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Re: Possible endangered species sighting...Caribbean Monk Seals
Damn that's cool. So around that house with the blue roof as your heading into the Atlantic through kemp?
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10-18-2013, 08:16 PM | #3 |
Snorkel Master
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Lower Keys
Posts: 5,588
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Re: Possible endangered species sighting...Caribbean Monk Seals
Yessir.
http://melodykey.com/your-stay.html?id=HAEUX9qg They used to have this photo under thier ACTIVITIES section on their page...used to crack us up. Last edited by kwtony; 10-18-2013 at 08:28 PM. |
10-18-2013, 09:21 PM | #4 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Port Salerno
Posts: 105
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Re: Possible endangered species sighting...Caribbean Monk Seals
Just be careful what you wish for.
If in fact they are Monk Seals in the area I'm sure NOAA will develop more SPA areas free from disturbing Jet Skis. |
10-19-2013, 07:53 AM | #5 | |
Me llamo Mike Candra
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: el norte... hijueputa
Age: 45
Posts: 1,322
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Re: Possible endangered species sighting...Caribbean Monk Seals
Quote:
Mike
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IGAF |
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10-19-2013, 08:15 AM | #6 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Myjami
Posts: 264
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Re: Possible endangered species sighting...Caribbean Monk Seals
Monk seals are gone.
They were otters. Tons of them around and known to go from boat to boat looking in coolers for fish and other donations in some parts of Florida. Not afraid of people just know not to get too close. Are you thinking of starting an ivory bill woodpecker search type party? Could earn you a phd like the guys at Cornell..... |
10-19-2013, 09:12 AM | #7 | |
Snorkel Master
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Lower Keys
Posts: 5,588
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Re: Possible endangered species sighting...Caribbean Monk Seals
Quote:
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10-19-2013, 11:28 AM | #8 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Myjami
Posts: 264
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Re: Possible endangered species sighting...Caribbean Monk Seals
Quote:
As to the guys who would like seals around, ask people in the PNW who fish how much they like them. The novelty wears off quickly with harbor seals. Whole marinas are lost to the sea lions. |
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10-19-2013, 05:33 AM | #9 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Eastern North Carolina
Age: 42
Posts: 335
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Re: Possible endangered species sighting...Caribbean Monk Seals
Interesting read, Tony, thanks.
Your link is broken though, it should be: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/...anmonkseal.htm |
10-19-2013, 05:45 AM | #10 |
Snorkel Master
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Lower Keys
Posts: 5,588
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Re: Possible endangered species sighting...Caribbean Monk Seals
Wow thats quite a stretch, see a seal, and then BAM all of a sudden they ban jet skis...Jet skis are hand down 5 times safer for the environment then a boat could ever be, unless of course it was a row boat.. NOAA has documented proof of this. So Im not worried about that. That's lie saying because there are "endangered" Jew fish in the water, they should ban diving and fishing. The difference between the boat and the skis area was night and day. Not only do we not touch the bottom when we get in shallow skinny waters, but we acutally aerated the water and propagated growth. The boat killed and cut the bottom to shreds, while there as overgrowth in the skis area...
Thanksfor fixing the link nano. |
10-19-2013, 07:31 AM | #11 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Port Salerno
Posts: 105
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Re: Possible endangered species sighting...Caribbean Monk Seals
Quote:
I'm cool with jets skis. Looking at a house in BPK, realtor kept going on about how nice the yard is "with" a fence around the whole house. Seems it is grandfathered in and no more fences allowed expect maybe a 10' by 20' dog run allowed. All because of another endangered animal the Key Deer. BPK is mostly all 25MPH on all roads except US1. I'm cool with the little Deer too. If you don't want to put up with the rules move somewhere else I guess. Just saying and no its not a stretch I think. |
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10-19-2013, 09:07 AM | #12 | |
Snorkel Master
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Lower Keys
Posts: 5,588
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Re: Possible endangered species sighting...Caribbean Monk Seals
Quote:
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10-19-2013, 10:18 AM | #13 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: KCMO
Posts: 545
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Re: Possible endangered species sighting...Caribbean Monk Seals
Huge size difference between a seal and an otter.
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10-19-2013, 10:45 AM | #14 |
Keys Spearo
Join Date: Jun 2007
Age: 31
Posts: 3,448
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Re: Possible endangered species sighting...Caribbean Monk Seals
I took an environmental class at the college and the professor was saying that back 150+ years ago there used to be either seals or otters here (can't remember which). It wouldn't surprise me if they ended up coming back. It seems like that happens with other fish species as well in the Keys, especially pelagics like YFT. They will be here for 10 years or so, disappear for another 20 and come back. I personally think it would be pretty cool to have seals or otters here in the Keys.
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10-20-2013, 12:57 AM | #15 |
hoos your daddy?
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Cali
Posts: 2,124
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Re: Possible endangered species sighting...Caribbean Monk Seals
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