Florida Manatee Movement and Habitat Use in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

The federally-threatened Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) inhabits coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico and southeast Atlantic states. Their movements in the northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM) may bring them into contact with oil- and gas-related activities, thus prompting this study to determine the potential for conflict. This was done by characterizing the seasonal and annual movements of manatees in the NGOM using photo-identification, radio tracking, and sighting reports, identifying manatee habitats in the region, and delineating important forage species and habitat features. A total of 139 manatees were captured in northwestern Florida and given full health assessments. Satellite-linked GPS telemetry tags were attached to 36 manatees, which recorded 852,838 locations. Manatees were tracked traveling as far west as Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana, and as far south to Tampa Bay, Florida. A total of 327 high-use locations were sampled for vegetation, and eight freshwater species, two euryhaline species and three marine species were identified as comprising the majority of species found in these locations. Foraging areas were relatively shallow, with the majority occurring between 0.25 m and 1.25 m at mid-tide, while traveling corridors were generally deeper than 3 m. The documented spatial and temporal patterns of manatee movements and resource use across the NGOM will aid land and resource managers in their planning and operations by understanding and minimizing potential conflicts.

USD: $1,000,000

2013-10-01 → 2021-12-31