During this weekend and for the next week (August 15-21) manatee experts from US Fish and Wildlife (Daphne, AL); Wildlife Trust (FL); Sea 2 Shore Alliance (FL); and Sea World Florida will be assisting the Mobile Manatee Sighting Network (MMSN) to observe manatees in our local waters.

Data from the last two years indicate that this is a key time for manatees in Alabama waters. Last year near this time, there was a single sighting of 14 animals near the Causeway.  This year there is even more vegetation in the rivers and delta compared to past years, and this additional food may support manatees in local waters.

“We are honored to have the opportunity to work with these manatee experts in our local waters,” said Dr. Ruth Carmichael, Senior Marine Scientist, Dauphin Island Sea Lab. “We have a rare opportunity to greatly expand our understanding of manatee feeding habits and movement patterns.  This work will result in better informed decisions regarding their management and conservation of these endangered mammals.”

“Sighting calls from the public are absolutely crucial to this process,” she stressed.  “We hope that while folks are out on the water this weekend and 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