For Immediate Release: April 1, 2004

Researchers studying manatees in the state of Florida are asking for the public’s help in locating a rehabilitated manatee that was tagged and released in March. The manatee, named Buttons, recently lost his radio tag and belt near Key Largo. Anyone who sees a manatee with the markings “Y 2” is asked to call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) dispatch at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922). Researchers monitor released manatees for approximately a year after release to ensure the animals are healthy, eating well and have readapted to their natural environment. Buttons is due for a check-up next month so veterinarians can assess his health and progress.

Buttons was rescued September 2001 as a small calf in the Keys. The day after he was born he was hit by a boat and received injuries to his lungs which did not enable him to dive and he could not nurse from his mother. Buttons was taken to Miami Seaquarium for rehabilitation treatment and care. After almost two and a half years of care, he was released on March 02, 2004 inside Blackpoint Marina’s Manatee Sanctuary, north of Homestead, FL. The Manatee Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP), a cooperative effort of nonprofit, private, state and federal entities, equipped Buttons with tracking gear to help researchers and veterinarians monitor her health and re-adaptation to the wild. Since Buttons’ release, he has moved around quite a bit. He has used waterways from South Miami, Homestead and last week made a very quick trip across Biscayne Bay to the Ocean Reef area in Key Largo.

Unfortunately, during the last week of March, Buttons lost all his tracking equipment when the radio-transmitter tag became lodged between two pilings under a dock. The equipment is designed to fall off at a designated time or break free if the animal was to become entangled in any object that might inhibit its movement. As designed, the equipment broke off but now Buttons is not equipped with any tracking equipment for researchers to locate him again. Just before he was released, Buttons received markings “Y 2” which help researchers identify him from other manatees. These markings are located on the back of Buttons between his flippers and shoulder blades and also on his just above his tail. Based on her movement patterns, they anticipate that he may travel south along Key Largo or take a trip back across Biscayne Bay into the Coral Gables – Homestead area, but predicting where she will go is impossible.

Public sightings of Buttons will provide researchers the opportunity to retag him and allow for future monitoring of his adaptation and health. If you see any manatees with the markings “Y 2”, please:

• Call the FWC dispatch at 1-888-404-FWCC, “#FWC” on your cellular phone, or use VHF Channel 16 on your marine radio.

• Give dispatchers the time, date and location where you saw the belted manatee.

• Let them know the colors noted on the belt and if you could see a tether.

  
  

The goal of the Manatee Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP) is to monitor the health and survival of rehabilitated and released manatees. Partnership members include Cincinnati Zoo, Columbus Zoo, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, Lowry Park Zoo, Miami Seaquarium, Save the Manatee Club, SeaWorld of Florida, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey- Sirenia Project, WDW EPCOT: The Living Seas and Wildlife Trust. For more information about the MRP and manatees currently being tracked, visit the Web site www.wildtracks.org or contact Katherine Frisch at 727-896-8626.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Photos of a tagged manatee are available on request to Monica Ross at ross@wildlifetrust.org or Martha Wells at wells@wildlifetrust.org


Learn more about manatee research and manatee tracking by visiting the following Web sites:

Florida Marine Research Institute

U.S. Geological Survey, Sirenia Project

Wildtracks.org