Aerial Surveys                                                                         

Aerial surveys document habitat use
patterns, seasonal distribution, and
relative abundance of manatees.
Mote Marine Laboratory has been
conducting aerial surveys since 1985.
Manatee research staff currently
survey Sarasota County and Charlotte
Harbor year round.  Dr. Reynolds has
been flying winter surveys of Florida
Power & Light power plants around
the state since the 1980s.
 
 

Photographic Identification                                                 

Many Florida manatees have scars
and mutilations from boat strikes. 
Scientists use these markings to identify
individual manatees.  Mote Marine
Laboratory staff have worked closely for
years with scientists at the US Geological
Survey and the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission to collect high
quality photographs of recognizable
individual manatees.  These photographs
are useful for the assessment of the
status of regional subpopulations. 
 
 

                                                                                              
Telemetry

Telemetry research involves tagging
individual manatees to follow their
movements and identify habitats
and resources they seek and need.  Mote
scientists have used telemetry to examine
behavioral and habitat use patterns at a
secondary winter refuge site in Charlotte
Harbor for the past three winters.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

                                                                                                                        
Waterways Management

Many regulations exist to protect manatees
from boat traffic.  This research assesses
compliance with the regulatory zones and the
overall effectiveness of enforcement activities.