Manatee Migration Update: February 6, 2002 Today's Report Includes: Sirenia Times Six! Field Notes From Biologist Cathy Beck Return to Ten Thousand Islands Capture Recap: Challenge Question #1 First Satellite Data: Let's Get Tracking! Measuring Manatee Movements: Challenge Question #2 What's in a Date? Challenge Question #3 Catching Up With Last Year's Manatees: Try This! Tips for Teachers: Are YOU Ready for the Migration? Ask the Expert Opens Feb 15 Coming in the Next Report Sirenia Times Six! Biologist Cathy Beck We welcome the return of Cathy Beck and her fellow Sirenia Project scientists, who are back for a 6th season in a row! Cathy and her colleagues are among the leading manatee biologists in the nation, and they've invited you to come along for an insider's view of their research. In the last few weeks, they've captured, tagged and released three new wild manatees to track: Actual ("Actual" actually has a calf with her). Albert Peggy Lee They'll also be tracking four manatees that students tracked last year: Addison Grace Megan and Santina Field Notes From Biologist Cathy Beck Ten Thousand Islands Study Area Hello Journey North 2002 Students! All of us at the Sirenia Project are glad to have you joining in our manatee research. Each of our scientists is back again--Bob Bonde, Jim Reid, Susan Butler, Dean Easton and me. Take a minute to meet the Sirenia Team and hear about what we do here: Meet the Sirenia Team Return to Ten Thousand Islands Our team has returned for a second year of research in the Ten Thousand Islands (TTI) area of Florida (25.700N, -81.300W), along the western edge of the Everglades. We are continuing our manatee radiotracking efforts in this region, as part of a study related to the restoration of the Everglades. Listen to Jim Reid describe the purpose of the Manatee TTI study .wav file 1591 kb .aif file 1591 kb Follow along with us as we learn more about manatees' use of this unique Florida habitat. More on This Study Capture Recap Jim Reid gave a succinct overview of the recent manatee captures, and what's happening now: "Our second year of captures at Port of the Islands went quite well. In two days, we caught, tagged and released five manatees. All the animals were in good condition and seemed quite healthy. Lots of data was collected including weight, body measurements, blood samples, fat measurements, and genetics samples. Three days later, all of the newly tagged animals were out and about in the Ten Thousand Islands. Currently we have 11 manatees being tracked as part of our study on manatees in the Ten Thousand Island/Everglades National Park region." Challenge Question #1 "Compare the overall health of manatees captured this year to those captured in 2001. Describe any similarities and any differences in their health condition. What reason can you think for any differences?" (To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.) I look forward to bringing you the latest data and developments in the next Update. Cathy Beck Sirenia Project Gainesville, FL First Satellite Data: Let's Get Tracking! All Manatees Migration Map Click on Map to Enlarge This season, each manatee will have its own individual map. Of course, we'll also provide an "All Manatee" map with each report, that shows the movements of all the manatees. We're also providing a printer-friendly Data-Only page. Plot the latest satellite data for the manatees on your map. Today's Satellite Migration Data (Courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey's Sirenia Project) Data & Individual Map for Actual Data & Individual Map for Addison Data & Individual Map for Albert Data & Individual Map for Grace Data & Individual Map for Megan Data & Individual Map for PeggyLee Data & Individual Map for Santina Data Only for All Manatees--Printer-friendly Format Measuring Manatee Movements: CQ #2 After you have plotted and mapped the manatees' movements, you are able to see where and how far they have traveled. Go a step further and try to answer: Challenge Question #2: (a) In what direction has each manatee traveled? (b) Which manatee had the greatest change in longitude? How many degrees of longitude did it travel between January 29 and February 1? (c) Which manatee had the greatest change in latitude? How many degrees of latitude did it travel between January 29 and February 1? How many miles does that represent in total? As a daily average distance? " (To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.) What's in a Date? Challenge Question #3 When Sirenia Project scientists receive ARGOS satellite tracking data, the dates are not given in the usual calendar system that we use in our daily lives--month and day. Instead, the satellite data indicate the date of a reading with a different calendar system. For example, this week's data dates of January 29 and February 1 were received in ARGOS satellite form as dates of "029" and "032", respectively. Challenge Question #3: "What is the name of the standard calendar/date system we use in our daily lives? What is the name of the calendar/date system that ARGOS uses? (Hint: "Hail Caesar!") How would the ARGOS calendar/date system indicate the following dates?" February 14, 2002? March 20, 2002? December 31, 2002? January 1, 2003? (To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.) Catching Up With Last Year's Manatees Addison, Grace, Megan and Santina were all tracked last year, and you can find out what they've been up to since last spring. Just click on the "Capture Date" in their Data Chart, and you'll be taken to an individual history page. Try This! Home on the Range Tracking last year's manatees gives you a rare opportunity to compare their movements last year to their movements during the same time this year. Take a look at last year's archived data and migration maps for Addison, Grace, Megan and Santina. Make a comparison of the winter range of last season's manatees using this lesson: Home on the Range Tips for Teachers: Are YOU Ready for the Migration? You may want to use these lessons and tips to help students develop the mapping skills they will need to track the migration. Latitude, Longitude and Distance Traveled This lesson will help you get comfortable with satellite data, so you'll have a feeling for the distances involved when a manatee's latitude and longitude readings change. How to Map Satellite Telemetry Data This lesson includes charts with step-by-step instructions for pinpointing a manatees's latitude and longitude on a map. By putting a transparency on top of your map, a manatee's exact location can be more easily found. Suggestions for Student Research with Satellite Data Remember that this data gives you a rare opportunity to conduct your own scientific research. Review this lesson for some ideas on developing your own research topics with this data. Ask the Expert Opens Feb 15 Your class is invited to pose questions to Nancy Sadusky of Save the Manatee Club. Nancy is an expert who has worked with manatees and Journey North for several years. She's generously volunteered her time to answer your questions and share her firsthand knowledge about the manatees that she knows so well. Start Preparing Your Questions Now! Coming in the Next Report Where Will Your Manatees Travel? Get the Latest! Meet "Mr. Manatee". And find out why he wants you in a Canoe! Meet Dr. Bruce Ackerman, Manatee Population expert How to Respond to Today's Challenge Questions IMPORTANT: Answer only ONE question in each e-mail message. 1. Address an E-mail message to: jn-challenge-manatee@learner.org 2. IMPORTANT: In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge Question #1(OR #2 OR #3) 3. In the body of the EACH message, give your answer to ONE of the questions above. The Next Manatee Migration Update will Be Posted on February 20, 2002 Copyright 2001 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form