Tracking Manatees In Florida

THE MANATEE REHABILITATION PARTNERSHIP

What is the Partnership?  

The Manatee Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP) was established in late 2001 and marks the beginning of a new era of cooperation in the manatee rehabilitation effort. Prior to the formation of the Consortium, state and federal agencies exclusively provided post-release monitoring for Florida manatee rehabilitated at permitted and contracted manatee rehabilitation facilities in Florida. Because it is difficult to maintain funding levels necessary to meet all of the escalating manatee conservation needs, these agencies are no longer able to bare sole responsibility to provide this service. However tracking the fate and health of rehabilitated and released manatees is essential to determining the successful contribution of the rehabilitation program to the recovery of Florida manatee populations.

Who are the partners?

The MPR is a cooperative group of non-profit, private, state, and federal entities with a stake in tracking the post-release fate of rehabilitated manatees in the wild.  The founding partners are: Columbus Zoo, Disney Conservation Fund, EPCOT-Living Seas, FWC’s Florida Marine Research Institute, Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, Lowry Park Zoo, Miami Seaquarium, Save the Manatee Club, SeaWorld Florida, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USGS’s  Sirenia Project, and Wildlife Trust.

How does the Partnership operate?

The partners provide funding and technical expertise to a third party group chosen by the MRP to provide post-release monitoring services.  Wildlife Trust is currently performing this function.  The financial, technical, and field support that has been contributed will provide a six month window to start the monitoring program with five animals that were released and monitored this past winter.  During this time period, the MRP will seek additional outside funds to continue the program.  The funds that have been contributed to this point are being used for real costs associated with the program including personnel salary, tags, tracking equipment, and satellite time.   In turn, Wildlife Trust will provide rapid feedback and data to the members of the MRP regarding the tracked animals.  

Who will be tracking the animals?

The primary group responsible for tracking the five animals released through this program is Wildlife Trust.  They have hired Monica Ross, an experienced manatee biologist and tracker, to visually check on the animals as well as follow their progress via satellite tracking.  Monica will be posting periodic field notes in the update section of the web page on the animals she is tracking.