Every time the water level is high at Three Sister’s Spring, Crystal River, Florida, it is cold and there are lots of manatee gathered there I expect Bob Bonde to show up and this past Tuesday he didn’t disappoint.

Bob Bonde is a “manatee guru” - plain and simple.  I doubt anyone else has even half of the hours spent underwater observing these fascinating sirenians.  He is truly a special person who is definitely making a huge difference for the manatee in his studies and his wide dissemination of manatee behavior, anatomy, population and status.

As said, I’ve seen Bob Bonde at Three Sister’s many times and I’ve even photoed him a couple of times.  But since I don’t want to distract him from his important work or get in his way I hadn’t been too happy with my previous photographs with him in the frame.  But this photograph above, I like it.  I’m not in his way at all and you really get a sense of what his survey of the manatee is like.  He holds a small underwater slate with basic manatee outlines where he can quickly draw in distinguishing marks of individuals (usually scars from boat propellers, etc).  This data IDs individuals and also keeps tabs on them recording such things as pregnancy, physical problems or unfortunately even additional scars.

I am so impressed how he just seems to rather I’ll say “gracefully” swim from manatee to manatee, recording data, taking a photo if called for - totally immersed in his work.

No, I don’t think the Florida manatee has a better friend than Bob Bonde.

He also co-authored the best and most comprehensive book on the manatee to date, ‘The Florida Manatee Biology and Conservation’.

I’ll include a link to it at Amazon below but here is the dedication which always seems to leave a bit of a lump in my throat:

“This book is dedicated to the proposition that it only takes a few people to change the world, and you are one of them.  For those who rise to the challenge, may you seek the middle ground of harmony in the midst of harsh realities.”

Here is the link to the book on Amazon.  I encourage you to get and read it, it is fascinating and a good read too!!

The Florida Manatee Biology and Conservation

Best, Carol

Important Addition:

After my initial post here I came across a newspaper article written by Bob Bonde.  It was so eloquent and touched me so much with this excerpt from the St Pete Times Citrus County Addition:

“I have been studying manatees for more than 25 years. They intrigue me, amaze me, and enthrall me. When I enter the water and see them, I look into the eyes of an animal that shows their anguish and a cry for help.”

Here is a link to the full article by Bob Bonde:

Helping Manatees Helps the Planet