November is Manatee Awareness Month

As cooler weather comes to the Sunshine State, manatees begin to migrate to warmer waters. During this time of year, many of Florida’s over 7,000 manatees will be on the move. The Fish and Wildlife Research Institute is reminding boat and personal watercraft operators to follow posted manatee protection zones and keep an eye out for these large marine mammals, particularly in shallow areas. If you do encounter an injured, sick or dead manatee, please call our Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.

Warm-water habitats, like Florida’s springs, are critical to the survival of manatees during the winter because they can’t tolerate water temperatures lower than 68 degrees for extended periods of time. Remember, disturbing manatees at warm-water sites may cause them to leave those areas at a time when it is critical for them to remain there. 

You can help support manatee conservation by purchasing a Save the Manatee license plate for your vehicle as well as manatee decals.

New on MyFWC.com/Research

• Red Tide Current Status
• Training Materials for the Nesting Beach Survey Workshops
• Stone Crab Catch Data
• Annual Rescue Summaries (manatees) 
• 2019 Manatee Mortalities
• Red Tide Manatee Mortalities
• Florida Fire Occurrence Dataset 
• Commercial Wholesale and Retail Dealers
• Coral Disease News and Updates

Social Media Corner

YouTube:

Late month, researchers from FWC, The Florida Aquarium and University of Miami, conducted the last coral rescue cruise of 2019 in response to Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease.

 Flickr:

FWRI biologists use unique color combinations of aluminum leg bands to identify individual turkeys for research. Researchers use radio transmitters as well as banding to monitor wild turkey populations.

 Facebook:

FWC continues to investigate a disorder detected in some Florida panthers and bobcats.