TAMPA, Florida (29 Mar 2002) -- According to a University of South Florida study, an organism found in human waste may be killing manatees and other marine mammals in Florida waters. The findings raise disturbing questions about sewage runoff in a state where local officials are under fire for diverting taxpayer funds from clean water infrastructure to the controversial 'Spiegel Grove' dive tourism project. My Lien Dao, a biologist at the University of South Florida who led the study, told CDNN that ten manatees who died during the last two years in Florida waters all had high levels of microsporidia in lung, liver, kidney, spleen and lymph node cells. Microsporidia is excreted in the urine and feces of infected humans and animals. It was the first time that an entire test group of manatees was found to have the same infection and Dao said the organism was also found in an infant dolphin and baby sperm whale that dies in Florida waters. Some of the manatees had also been hit by boats and all had weakened immune systems. The likely cause of the infections is sewage runoff, a problem that has sparked heated debate between business interests and citizen groups who oppose decisions by government officials to develop Florida's tourism industry and postpone desperately needed infrastructure. | | Manatees are threatened by boats, dive operators, sewage. "The findings that manatees are dying from an organism found in human waste comes as no surprise to environmentalists and local citizens who are fighting against developers for clean air and clean water," said Evan T. Allard, Cyber Diver Society president. "We hope this study will be a wake-up call to business and government officials that tourism development necessarily takes a back seat to clean air and clean water." © CDNN - CYBER DIVER NEWS NETWORKSCUBA FORUMDISCUSS THIS TOPIC - Dive in and have your say at Scuba Forum |
