DISL’s Manatee Sighting Network: Understanding Gulf of Mexico manatees Ruth H. Carmichael Elizabeth Hieb Allen Aven, Kayla DaCosta Dauphin Island Sea Lab University of South Alabama MMRP USFWS NOAA NMFS Ruth H. Carmichael DISL’s MSN Founder & Director ALMMSN Elizabeth Hieb Noel Wingers MSN Manager Response staff Stranding Coordinator Kayla DaCosta Anika Knight Catherine Reynolds Haley Nicholson Scott Carmichael Allen Aven Grant Lockridge Michele Kelley Debra Moore, DVM Michele Schuler, DVM West Indian manatees •! Large & slow moving •! Endangered marine mammal (~6,000) McNally Park Prop scars Mobile Bay 2008 •! Major threats •! Habitat loss •! Boat strikes •! Cold stress •! HABs Pabody 2008 West Indian manatees 7%8&9:;<& Natural Range =(8%&=*'>&?@& M S AL A(+&9:;B& !"#$"%&'()* !"#$%&'()(&*+& Gulf of Mexico ,-./01& 2(+()%%3&4& Save the Manatee Club 5(6")()3& DISL’s Manatee Sighting Network (DISL/MSN) !!Established 2007 !!Citizen-sourced data !!Opportunistic sightings !!Public reporting !!Large-scale dataset !!Temporal & spatial !!Benefits targeted research DISL/MSN Contributor How to report a sighting !!24 hr toll free phone line 1-866-493-5803 !!Website with online report system manatee.disl.org !!Email address [email protected] !!Facebook page www.facebook.com/mobilemanatees !!Face to face Northcentral Gulf of Mexico sightings Mississippi Mobile-Tensaw Delta Alabama •!Sightings & carcasses increased •!Migration patterns • Define habitat ! Pabody et al. GOMS 2009; Hieb et al. ESR in revision Research activities Photo-ID Habitat monitoring Aerial surveys Tagging & tracking Satellite GPSVHF GPS Radio & acousticARGOS telemetrySonic Manatee.disl.org 11 manatees tagged since 2009 S. Steinmann Tracking regional movements Tagged manatee seasonal movements —— EastEast to west to (spring) West migrations (Spring) West to east (fall/winter) migrations —— West to East (Fall) 1:3,700,000 Mississippi Alabama Kilometers 037.5 75 150 225 300 Pascagoula Louisiana Panama Wakulla City Springs Florida Port St. Joe Crystal River Migratory stopovers & endpoints Tampa A. AvenGulfGu letf oof al.f MMexico 2016.exico PeerJ Stranding response 2010 first live manatee stranding in AL history 2015 first rescue Stranding & necropsy MobileManatee.disl.org/bamatrack/ Bay, AL 25 Dec 2010 Stranding response - Rescue •! USFWS protocol Skin •! Locate animal & discoloration- assess condition signs of cold stress •! Determine response Mar 2016 S05 E16 Mobile Bay, AL 25 Dec 2010 MagnoliaManatee.disl.org/bamatrack/ Springs, AL 2014-2015 Magnolia Springs response Rescue Rehabilitation Release January February March Magnolia Springs release Tagged to monitor movement & recovery What have we learned? •! Manatees are regular seasonal visitors •! More standings (rapid reporting needed) Dog River 2014 •! Outreach works! Horn Island MS 2016 West Pascagoula River, MS 2016 If you sight a manatee… What should you do? Dog River, AL 2011 What to look for in Alabama waters… Crystal River, FL Murky waters & algae Mobile Bay, AL C. Berchem “Footprints” made by •!Dark water & traveling manatee camouflage •! Stealthy •! Little breaks surface •! Little sound Mobile-Tensaw Delta 2009, S. Carmichael Safely observing manatees What NOT to do What to do •! Following, feeding, •! Observing quietly watering •! No disturbance •! Boating close •! Natural behavior •! Changing behavior Outreach activities •! Educational materials •! Dock signs •! Boat decals •! Fact sheets & Flyers •! Facebook (Mobile Manatees Sighting Network) • Information booths ! •! Adopt-an-AL-manatee •! Training Seminars Outreach activities •! T-shirts & plushes •! Make a donation Support local research Acknowledgments •! USFWS, NFWF •! Sea to Shore Alliance •! SeaWorld Orlando •! USGS Sirenia Project •! Grand Bay NERR/ MDMR •! Seamens Foundation •! AL Div. of Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries •! MBNEP •! ADCNR Thank you Allen Noel 2014 Manateam Kayla M. Haller 2010 New York Times Elizabeth .