For Immediate Release: May 3, 2005

Daisy the manatee’s monitoring equipment has stopped working, and researchers need to locate her to monitor her re-adaptation to the wild. She was last seen in Biscayne Bay near Homestead, but could be anywhere in the Keys/Miami area. (Photo by Monica Ross, Wildlife Trust)

Researchers studying manatees in the state of Florida are asking for the public’s help in locating a rehabilitated manatee named Daisy who was tagged and released in March. The tracking equipment attached to Daisy recently stopped working when she was in Biscayne Bay near Homestead. Anyone who sees a manatee with a red and white tag, just a manatee belt or with the markings “E 4” located on its back are asked to call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) dispatch at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922). Researchers monitor released manatees for approximately one year after release to ensure the animals are healthy, eating well and have re-adapted to their natural environment. Daisy is due for a check-up in early June so veterinarians can assess her health and progress.

Daisy was rescued as a small orphan calf suffering from cold stress on February 19, 2003 in Brevard County.  She was taken to SeaWorld of Florida for treatment and care over the next 22 months. In December 2004, Daisy was transported from SeaWorld’s fresh water environment to salt water at Miami Seaquarium in preparation for her release.  Daisy was released on March 29, 2005 into Blackpoint Marina’s Manatee Sanctuary, north of Homestead. The Manatee Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP), a cooperative effort of nonprofit, private, state and federal entities, equipped Daisy with tracking gear to help researchers and veterinarians monitor her health and re-adaptation to the wild. Since Daisy’s release, she has moved around quite a bit. She has used waterways from South Miami and Homestead, and last week she might have taken a trip across Biscayne Bay to Key Largo.

Unfortunately, on Sunday April 24th, Daisy’s tracking equipment stopped working and researchers have not been able to locate her. The tracking device consists of three components: a belt, tether and radio-transmitter tag. The belt is placed around the animal’s peduncle, the narrow area just above the tail. It is equipped to fall off after a designated time period. The tether is attached to the belt and is designed to break free of the animal if needed, such as in the case of entanglement. Finally, the radio-transmitter tag is attached to the tether and floats just above the surface of the water line. Only the top of the canister is visible at the surface and is covered with brightly colored reflective tape surrounded by a white float ring. A short, red and white antenna extends six inches above the top. Each tag has a unique color pattern that is associated with an individual animal. Just before she was released, Daisy received markings “E 4” which help researchers identify her from other manatees. These markings are located on her back between her flippers and also further down her back just above her tail. Based on her movement patterns, researchers anticipate that she may travel south along Key Largo or take a trip back across Biscayne Bay into the Coral Gables-Homestead area, but predicting where Daisy will go is impossible.

Public sightings of Daisy will provide researchers the opportunity to remove her malfunctioning tag and allow for future monitoring of her adaptation and health. If you see a tagged manatee with the markings “E 4”, 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 tagged manatee.
• Let them know the colors of the tag and whether the animal was with any other animals.

Anyone who sees a manatee with the markings “E 4” or a red and white floating tag, is asked to call the FWC at 1-888-404-FWCC or #FWC on a cell phone. (Photo by Monica Ross, Wildlife Trust)

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, Disney’s 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 Martha Wells at 941-374-0462.

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NOTE TO EDITORS: Photos of a tagged manatee are available on request to Monica Ross at ross@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


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