USFWS
Manatee Migration Update: February 4, 1998
Manatee Migration Updates Will be Posted on
WEDNESDAYS:
Feb. 4, 18, Mar. 4, 18, Apr. 1, 15
Today's Report Contains:
- An Introduction to Our Manatees & Our Manatee Scientists
- Manatee Roll Call at Blue Spring State Park
- Background Information on Manatees
- Challenge Questions #1 and #2
- Satellite Migration Data for January 1998
- Suggestions for Using Satellite Data
- How to Respond to Today's Challenge Questions
An Introduction to Our Manatees & Our Manatee Scientists
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| Photo credit:s USFWS |
Welcome to our second year of tracking the Florida Manatee. We hope you're ready to "dive in"! For the second year in a row, scientists Cathy Beck, Jim Reid and Bob Bonde of the Sirenia Project have agreed to work with Journey North and share their satellite tracking data with you. This year we'll follow the movements of six manatees: Three males ("Dakota", "Brian" and "Bailey") and 3 females ("Hillary", "Xena" and "Knicky"). You may remember "Dakota" as one of the males we tracked last year.
Here's the latest information from the Sirenia Project:
To: Journey North
From: Cathy Beck
Date: January 30, 1998
"Dear Students,
Thanks for following along with us as we track and study several manatees in different regions of Florida. Right now, we have 10 manatees tagged and still "in the wild", and we will be sharing the tracking data for 6 of these manatees with you . Two of this year's manatees, "Dakota" and "Brian", were previously in captivity, so my colleagues Bob Bonde and Jim Reid will be meeting the Sea World crew to recapture them for medical assessment . We think they are doing fine, and plan to re-release them immediately at the site where they are captured, unless there is some severe problem. Stay tuned for more news on their recapture. " (Click Here to "meet" and learn more about our Manatee Scientists)
Manatee Madness! Ranger Wayne's Blue Spring Roll Call
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We are also lucky to have Range Wayne Hartley on board again this year, to report on the manatees that visit the Blue Spring State Park each Winter, near Orange City, Florida. Each day, Ranger Wayne paddles his canoe into the Blue Spring Run to conduct his "Roll Call", where he identifies each individual manatee, marks its location on the map, and also measures water temperatures in the Blue Spring "Run" and adjacent St. Johns River, and the air temperature too. After you read Ranger Wayne's report (click the button below), see if you can answer Challenge Question #1.
- Click Here for Ranger Wayne's first report this year.
Challenge Question #1
"Why do you think so many Manatees come to Blue Springs each winter? Why do
you think a record number of manatees have come there this season?"
(To respond to this Challenge Question, please follow the instructions at the end of this report.)
Background Information on Manatees
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| Photo credit:s USFWS |
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"Did You Know?" |
Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) are marine mammals, that can be found in shallow, slow-moving rivers, estuaries, bays, canals and coastal areas, in both fresh and salt water. They have large, gray seal-like bodies, with two forelimbs or "flippers", a paddle-shaped tail, and a whiskered face and snout that you might see when they swim up to the surface of the water for air.
Manatees are sometimes called "gentle giants", because they are slow
and gentle, and adults average about 10 feet long and weigh between 800 to 1,200
pounds. Manatees are herbivores and they maintain their giant size by feeding primarily
on seagrass. Lots of seagrass! Manatees eat between 10% to 15% of their body weight
each day in plants! How many pounds/kg of food would that be for a 1,000 pound manatee?
How many pounds/kg of food would you have to eat to equal 10% to 15% of your body
weight?
Despite their size,the Florida Manatees are in danger. Scientists estimate that there
are only about 2,500 West Indian Manatees remaining in Florida, and their future
remains uncertain. Paddle along with us as we track and explore the Florida manatees
this spring.
Challenge Question #2:
"How do manatees manage to live in both freshwater and saltwater environments?"
(To respond to this Challenge Question, please follow the instructions at the
end of this report.)
Satellite Migration Data for January 1998
- Go to Satellite Data Table for Dakota
- Go to Satellite Data Table for Brian
- Go to Satellite Data Table for Knicky
- Go to Satellite Data Table for Bailey
- Go to Satellite Data Table for Hillary
- Go to Satellite Data Table for Xena
Suggestions for Using Satellite Data
We suggest keeping a journal over the next months. As you read each report, make
a list of all the questions you have about manatees. For example, as you analyze
today's data you might ask yourself these questions:
- Which manatee traveled the greatest distance?
- How far did he or she go?
- On which dates do you think the animal moved? Can you speculate why?
- On average, how many miles per day did he or she travel?
- Which manatee traveled the least?
- Do you notice similarities and differences in behavior between the 6 manatees?
- What can you say about manatee habitat? about their range?
Secondly, plan to clip the weather map from your newspaper each day. These daily
maps will be useful when you analyze the data in each report.
How To Respond to Challenge Questions:
Please do not answer more than one question per message!
How to Respond to Journey North Manatee Challenge Question #1
- Address an e-mail message to: jn-challenge-manatee@learner.org
- In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge Question # 1
- In the body of the message, give your answer to this question:
Challenge Question #1
"Why do you think so many Manatees come to Blue Spring each winter? Why do you
think a record number of manatees have come there this season?"
How to Respond to Journey North Manatee Challenge Question #2
- Address an e-mail message to: jn-challenge-manatee@learner.org
- In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge Question # 2
- In the body of the message, give your answer to this question:
Challenge Question #2
"How do manatees manage to live in both freshwater and saltwater environments?"
The Next Manatee Update will Be Posted on February 18, 1998.