ATV Florida Forum

DANIA BEACH, Fla. -- Two South Florida men were arrested by U.S. Fish and Wildlife agents for allegedly baiting and hooking an endangered manatee. The men posted their actions on www.myspace.com, according to investigators.

On Saturday, federal agents took 19-year-old Karl Kuhn and 20-year-old Charles Podesta Jr. into custody, Local 10's Kellie Butler reported.

They were arrested at their place of work, Bass Pro Shops on Interstate 95 in Dania Beach.

"We received information from the public that the individuals tried to take an endangered species," said Eddie McKissick, special agent in charge with U.S. Fish and Wildlife.

The two men appeared before a federal magistrate Monday. They are both charged with knowingly and unlawfully wounding an endangered species.

Kuhn's parents and Podesta's parents each posted bond and the two were released from custody.

"I think they were doing it as a prank, to put it on myspace.. I don't think they intended to harm the manatee," said David Joffe, Podesta's attorney.

Wildlife officials said if the manatee survived, it probably still has a hook in its mouth and may be wrapped up in fishing line.

A spokesman for Bass Pro Shops told Local 10," obviously we do not condone that kind of behavior." He would not say if the men had been fired but Podesta's attorney did tell Local 10 the men have lost their jobs.

If convicted, the men face up to one year in prison and up to a $50,000 fine

Idiots!

Crazy !

Thats for sure. They must be yankee transplants.

WOW...what a bunch of J@ckA$$'s

mmmmmmmmmmm manatee.  the other white meat.  really y'all should try it some time.  you can have bbq manatee, grilled manatee, sauteed manatee, manatee salad, cajun and jerk manatee, manatee kabobs, au gratin manatee, manatee casserole.

Everyone is SOO Much cooler Online.. ::).....little fruit cakes...could use a dented forehead if you ask me...

Tastes like chicken. :ThumbsUp.gif

Remember the only edible meat is in from the cheeks, you have to throw the rest away.   :o

Ya gotta stuff it with Spotted Owl and marinate it in Scrub Jay juice before it hits the grill!

I usually cook them on the RONCO outside 'cause they stink the house up pretty bad.


C'mon Joe, you know were just kiddin & tryin not to be so serious,
BTW, how's that hog trough comin along, I would say just turn it into a BBQ but might be kinda small for a manatee

Thats because they dont know how to fish, so they target the slowest thing in the sea. Idiots!!! ???

i aint even gonna lie ive thought about some sea cow hamburger before

whaaaa??  ???... I hate the Video Generation....

I don't care for video games much either, I did have an ATARI, I remember when people would be waitin in line almost wanting to fight over the Pac-Man game at Zayres

I hated when people use to get mad & cheat & hit the re-set button.

If you were not Playing Donkey Kong On Coleco Vision you were NOT PLAYING.....Sweet AZZ Graphics there Playboy!!!

Hmmm...I wonder if they were using spoons?

OH YES I WAS PLAYIN,
I had Donkey Kong on my Commodore Vic 20 ;D

beat that one.

Oh Snap you musta been rich...DANG

Thats sad. It'd be better if they were extinct.

see Joe, i can't even quote people right, that proves I wasn't rich & didn't have a Comodore VIC 20.

Sometimes, when i seen a manatee I would just get the urge to jump in the water & try to... well nevermind.

aaahhhh this story reminds me of the time i went to Alaska and we harpooned whales and clubbed those little baby white seals!

The good thing about being a human being these days is we can hunt animals till extinction, then just clone them in some underground lab and repopulate the herd!

"YAY SCIENCE!"

Yes but they might have extra legs and three eyes, all the better to walk and see with is what I would say.

i could care less if manatees where exctinct im tired of no wake zones anyways >:(
but seriosly try using em as ramps git some major air  ;)

Manatees are cute as can be,



Ya, clone as many of them as you can, then our planet will be just one big    ;D