Help Researchers Track Manatee's Movements
Above, Pistachio is released at Blue Spring State Park in February 2002. He is wearing a tracking device that consists of three components: a belt, tether and radio-transmitter tag. Viewed from above the water, the radio tag looks somewhat like a floating soda can with a straw. If you see a manatee with a tracking device, please call 1-888-404-FWCC (3922), #FWC on your cellular phone, or use VHF Channel 16 on your marine radio. |
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For Immediate Release: July 10, 2002
Researchers are asking for the public’s help in tracking a rehabilitated tagged manatee named Pistachio that may be traveling along the East Coast of Florida. They are asking the public to call in any sightings of manatees with radio-transmitter tags to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) dispatch at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922). They can also call #FWC on a cellular phone or use VHF Channel 16 on their marine radio.
Pistachio was found alone and orphaned in July of 1998 and was taken to SeaWorld of Florida in Orlando for rehabilitation. After almost three years of care, he was released on February 15, 2002 in the Blue Spring State Park area off the St. Johns River in Volusia County, Florida. The Manatee Rehabilitation Partnership, a cooperative effort of nonprofit, private, state and federal entities, equipped Pistachio with tracking gear to help researchers monitor his health and adaptation back into the wild. Pistachio remained in the Blue Spring area until the waters warmed up, and then he began his move out to the coast. He was last seen near Stuart, Florida in June 2002.
Pistachio is wearing a tracking device, but in order to track him effectively, researchers also need to obtain visual sightings of him. 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. Finally, the radio-transmitter tag is attached to the tether and floats just above the surface of the water line. Viewed from above the water, the radio tag looks somewhat like a floating soda can with a straw. Only the top of the canister is visible at the surface and is covered with brightly colored reflective tape. A short, black antenna extends six inches above the top. Each tag has unique tag colors that are associated with an individual animal.
Public sightings will further enable researchers to quickly obtain the exact location of Pistachio and will also provide invaluable behavioral information on his adaptation efforts. If you see any manatees with radio-transmitter tags, 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.
Do not touch the transmitter tags. (People with good intentions have pulled tags off manatees, thinking the manatees were entangled in crab trap lines and buoys.)
The Manatee Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP) is a partnership of nonprofit, private, state, and federal entities with the goal of monitoring the health and survival of rehabilitated and released manatees. Partnership members include the 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. Developing protocols to further the science of releasing manatees to the wild is a priority objective. The MRP is dedicated to advance manatee rehabilitative health research, to use this information to ensure the successful adaptation of rehabilitated manatees to their natural environment, and to make a significant contribution to the long-term survival of the Florida manatee population.
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
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