This blog was created to allow the public to follow two
manatees, Rita and her calf Georgie, as scientists track them after their
release back into the wild. Please return for weekly updates.
NOTES
FROM THE FIELD – WEEK 4:
10-May-2012
A rainy
morning prevented Kelly Melillo (Dolphin Communication Project) and Kendria Ferguson
(BMMRO) from heading out on the boat to search for Rita and Georgie, but Argos
satellite locations indicated that they were recently in the harbour.
In the
late afternoon, we received a call from Al (a local fisherman) saying that
manatees were under his dock just a few houses down. Manatees are frequently
seen here when they are in the marina. Gina and her calf, JJ has been observed
resting and feeding under this dock on numerous occasions.
We have
the use of an extra GPS tag from USGS to deploy on another manatee
should the opportunity arise. Having
data from one of the resident manatees would enable us to compare with Rita’s
evolving habitat use patterns.
