West Indian Manatee Research
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Everglades National Park monitors manatees by tagging them and tracking them through aerial surveys. In 2005, scientists observed 176 adults and 7 calves in park waters. The surveys revealed that manatees frequently enter tidal creeks to obtain freshwater for drinking and refuge during cold weather. Park scientists also evaluate manatee health by capturing individuals and taking biological samples for laboratory study.
Review and Synthesis of Manatee Data in Everglades National Park, 2006 |
Did You Know?
Everglades National Park protects the largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi River. The wilderness area is named for Marjory Stoneman Douglas who was instrumental in creating the park, and who coined the phrase "River of Grass."