Comments on: MonsterQuest Marathon

By: Labyrinth_13

Labyrinth_13 — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:37:57 +0000

So, what we may be dealing with here is an example of an out of place animal (a seal) being filmed in Florida while interacting with a frisky manatee or manatees.

I can buy that. But just for the record, I still think that is, in and of itself, still quite remarkable! (I have a huge interest in Florida ecology and local fuana, so anything out of the norm from there always fires my imagination).

Thanks for the data.

By: Loren Coleman

Loren Coleman — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:14:06 +0000

Just as manatees have been found up north and far inland in rivers (remember the Hudson River last year), so too have harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), in rare cases, been found as far south as Florida, as “out-of-place” or “accidentals.”

The incidents are recorded in the scientific literature.

A harbor seal, for example, was stranded in 2004, in Florida.

“Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina): Western North Atlantic Stock,” NEFSC/NOAA, March 2007.
http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/nefsc/publications/tm/tm201/114-120.pdf

“The Harbor Seal, Phoca vitulina concolor, in Florida” David K. Caldwell and Melba C. Caldwell, Journal of Mammalogy, Vol. 50, No. 2 (May, 1969), pp. 379-380.

By: Labyrinth_13

Labyrinth_13 — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:56:03 +0000

I see where a person (aclockworkorange) in a thread specific to the Florida sea monster, wrote:

“It’s still a great find of a seal that shouldn’t be there! There aren’t any warm-water dwelling seals native to Florida anymore–went extinct.”

To which Loren Coleman replied:

“That statement makes the assumption that any filmmaker’s reported location of footage is as stated (in this case allegedly Florida). But one has to be careful, for nothing assures any of us that what we are seeing was actually filmed where it is said to have been recorded.”

That is excellent food for thought, i.e., that we are taking the guy who filmed this footage at his word that this was indeed shot in Florida and that there was no hanky-panky as far as an creative editing is concerned. (By saying that, I am by no means trying to cast disparaging remarks at the person who shot the film, only that a healthy dose of skepticism is almost always required with things of this nature).

I did a bit of research since my last post. According the sources that I found, there has not been a reliable sighting of a seal in Florida since 1952.

Curt

By: Labyrinth_13

Labyrinth_13 — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:06:01 +0000

I remember that the idea that a manatee and seal interacting with each other was floated as a possibility (no pun intended). And that I was thinking, that, at the very least, what the guy filmed is still remarkable in that there was an actual seal filmed in Florida waters. I was under the impression that seals were no longer native to Florida.

By: Loren Coleman

Loren Coleman — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:36:56 +0000

The program also mentioned or used quotes that related that

1) the footage could be of two different animals – manatees and seals; and

2) manatee tails are often the victims of boat accidents, giving them a multi-finned appearance.

The footage is less mysterious than people would have it, and the activity of the taped animals is not outside the parameters of how mating manatees and in some shoots, seals, are known to behave.

By: Labyrinth_13

Labyrinth_13 — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:25:47 +0000

Loren Coleman wrote: “Mating manatees tend to move around, flip about, and swim in a more animated way than how most people recall the slow moving animals.”

I admit that I have only seen manatees when they were probably in their most placid state, i.e., where they were feeding in a leisurely manner. I suspect that mating animals do tend to get a bit more animated.

But that still leaves the fact that the Florida river creature had a trident-finned tail. Most manatees have a solid, flat, beaver-like tail. If I recall correctly, the show’s commentator pointed out that the tail was actually similar to that of a seal, which is usually double-finned or forked.

Curt

By: WOLVES-TALON

WOLVES-TALON — Wed, 27 May 2009 00:56:25 +0000

I happened to like the “New York ” one. The only thing that I didn’t like was that Steve Kulls guy, he seemed to be a camera and glory hound. I see that Becky Sawyer was in that as well, I wonder what ever happened to her? Most likely she got the heck away from people that can’t seem to keep their head above the scum line.

Wherever you are Becky…….you will never be forgotten !

By: ajakana

ajakana — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:43:09 +0000

i have a few problems with monster quest for some reason when some one tells them a story they go a search for it #1 these people are telling them how strong and fast these creatures are but they still go and look to see for themselves when they do not have any idea what these things can do to them or what they are really dealing with, #2 they always telling the person who saw the creature that it was mistaken identity and then leave because they did not see the creature for themselves where they searched, #3 they want to take photos and find out what it is even though it would be exciting to find out it isn’t meant for them to find them not only that they will never find or capture these unique creatures they can be killed and i think they are asking for a death wish to go out and thing nothing will happen. Me and a friend of mind personally had a very bad experience that we do not talk about and keep it to ourselves because we do not want to remember that day i wish they would just stop trying to find something that will kill them it is for their own good

By: Loren Coleman

Loren Coleman — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:34:15 +0000

Mating manatees tend to move around, flip about, and swim in a more animated way than how most people recall the slow moving animals.

By: Labyrinth_13

Labyrinth_13 — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:29:42 +0000

I watched several episodes of the marathon over the weekend. For me, the most intriguing one was the MonsterQuest: Sea Monsters spot.

I’ve lived in Florida in several places and have seen numerous manatees in the wild. They are very sluggish creatures and I can’t picture one flipping around and moving the way the creature in their footage moved.

I hope they do a follow-up on this one. I was also glad to see that they did their best to keep the location a secret (but have to wonder just how long it will *stay* secret).

Curt