Okay, how many of you really did an Internet search for “Manatee Fighter”!? Let’s see those hands!
…well, I did, too, of course.

Needless to say, most of us are familiar with the many tales of Mark Trail: Manatee Fighter as relayed by Rivera’s predecessors. The earliest adventure was probably “Mark Saves Cherry Davis from pet Manatee.” Then there was the notorious “Don’t Manhandle My Manatee!” One of his more recent stories was “The Manatee Make-out Caper”, where criminal manatee kidnapers chase Mark, Carina, and Gabe the Manatee through a dangerous cave that took several months of newspaper time to traverse. Gabe was so feisty that Carina barely had an opportunity to flash her assets at Mark

It appears that there is more manatee backstory in Rivera’s Mark Trail that hasn’t yet made it to print. And I know a lot of you are hoping it remains that way..*

Now, keep in mind that Rivera’s Mark Trail is not yet the internationally known and respected nature reporter his “dad” was. This current incarnation of Mark is a fringe up-and-comer, eager to take on just about any project that will get him more exposure. That might also explain Mark’s willingness to continue moving between reporting and activism as well as crossing that red line of legality when he deems it necessary.

Internet: Speaking of Internet searches,  you will not find the “Whether Men”, but you will find entries for “The Whethermen.” I’ll leave it to you to find out who they are and what they do.

* I hope readers realize this is just sarcasm. As far as I know, Mark has no manatee history.