For the second time in history, manatee researchers from the eastern Gulf of Mexico will converge on Mobile Bay to intensively study this endangered animal in Alabama waters.  This week (August 10-13) manatee experts from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (Daphne, AL); Sea 2 Shore Alliance (FL); and Sea World Florida will be assisting the Mobile Manatees Sighting Network (MMSN) to locate and observe manatees in our local waters.

Data from the last three years indicate that this is a key time for manatees in Alabama waters.  Researchers will track manatee movements, compare vegetation in the rivers and delta compared to past years, and take data on the condition of manatees in local waters.  Last year at this time, this same group of researchers tagged two manatees, Bama and Bumpy, to expand understanding of manatee feeding habits and movement patterns in the northern Gulf.

“We are extremely fortunate to have another opportunity to work with manatee researchers who are among the best in the field, said Dr. Ruth Carmichael, Senior Marine Scientist, Dauphin Island Sea Lab. “Understanding where manatees go and what they do locally is particularly important given the presence of oil in our waters.  In a few weeks these manatees will be migrating back to their wintering grounds and maybe exposed to oil during their migration.  It is important that we keep a close watch on them during this critical time.” 

“Sighting calls from the public are absolutely crucial to this process,” she stressed.  “We hope that while folks are out on the water during the week, they will be particularly vigilant for manatees, and call our hotline as soon as they spot them.  While these collaborators are here, we will have heavy ground, air and water presence to respond to sighting calls.”

The toll-free MMSN Hotline is 1-866-493-5803. The e-mail is manatee@disl.org.

“We’re interested in ALL sightings,” stated Dr. Carmichael.  “Even old sightings that you may not have previously called in to us or e-mailed us.

“But, of course, immediate reports are the most effective.  That way, we can get to the location as soon as possible, and hopefully still be able to observe the manatees.”

Federal law prohibits interfering with the manatee’s behavior, or harassing them in any way.  The best rule is to stay at least 100 feet away from them and report the sighting to authorities at MMSN as soon as possible.

For more information on MMSN, visit http://manatee.disl.org

Note for news editors/reporters only:  For comment or interviews, contact Dr. Ruth Carmichael at rcarmichael@disl.org or 251-508-7010 (cell).