This is not the Manatee....

They had a tough time trying to make it 'cute'. Nobody bit on that one:


Letters to the Editor
Sunday, August 26, 2001
A critter of a mascot we truly can call our own
The Aug. 18 article, "Mascot sought for city," mentioned that the group organizing this wonderful art/fund-raising project was considering using the dolphin as a mascot. While I love dolphins, I think I have a more appropriate representative of our city.
There is a creature that lives nowhere else in the world but right here. It's our very own animal that no one else has. Could there be a better mascot than something that is ours and ours alone?
It's called the Panama City Crayfish and it is found only in a portion of Bay County. Because of its very limited range, it is listed by the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as a Species of Special Concern.
The truth is, this little critter could really use some publicity to help it out. What little natural habitat is left for this animal is threatened by development, both directly and through improvements to the infrastructure, and current laws don't really do much to help it.
Why should we help it? Because it's ours and we're the only ones who can. Why should we eliminate a species that we have the power to save, especially since progress would not have to be sacrificed, just made more responsible?
Lisa Keppner, Panama City