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Foresaken Mermaids
It’s believed the manatee inspired the myth of the mermaid. As the story goes, sailors mistook the ocean mammal for a half-fish, half-human creature. In 1970, Jacques Cousteau headed an expedition to Blue Spring, Florida, and introduced Americans to the m
In 1970, oceanographer Jacques Cousteau visited Blue Spring in Florida to film a documentary on the manatees that depended on its warm water for their survival. Boat traffic and harassment had turned their winter safe haven into a danger zone. Jacques Cousteau’s grandson, Philippe, brings us the story of the manatee’s new fight for survival in the face of development and Florida’s rising demand for water.