How digital technology could help save this keystone species
Must Watch Videos
1. Manatees: Conserving a Marine Mammal
A wonderful resource from ChangingSeasTV.
Every winter, hundred of manatees aggregate at Crystal River, Florida, attracted by the warmer, clear waters. This sanctuary is also a treasure for scientists, who take advantage of these manatee gatherings to study them. From decades of visual ID studies to the most cutting-edge DNA research, experts hope that science will help conserve this beloved marine animal.
Conservation
2. Recovering America's Wildlife:
Stories from the Field
Watch this fascinating and informative video in the Recovering America’s Wildlife Series hosted by naturalist David Mizejewski and featuring manatee expert Michelle Pasawicz of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and biologist Jessica Bibza from the National Wildlife Federation. Recorded in 2021 it details the problems faced by manatees and the measures being taken to protect them.
Stories from the Field
3. The Forgotten Mermaids
The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau
Jacque Cousteau introduced the Florida Manatee to the world in December 1971. He was determined to use his documentary to promote interest in manatees and their future, saying: “If we can get people interested in the animal, that’s enough...If we can get them to love a form of life, the people will find a way to protect it. . . . Eventually it all rests on man’s ability to control himself. Nothing more or less will save the sea cow.” (Pittman, 2012).
In the News
Record number of Florida manatees starved to death in 2021
A report from CBS news in January 2022 highlighting the tragic plight of many manatees starving to death.
