Mobile Manatees - Call with your sightings
Call: 866-493-5803
E-mail: manatee@disl.org
Website: http://manatee.disl.org

	Photo: Lucy Keith/Wildlife Trust

Over the past few years, there has been an increase in sightings and anecdotal reports of manatees in Mobile Bay.  These gentle, slow-moving creatures are well documented in Florida, but little study has been conducted in local waters.  Dauphin Island Sea Lab Senior Marine Scientist Dr. Ruth Carmichael is establishing “Mobile Manatees,” a program that encourages the public to report their sightings of these animals in Alabama waters, particularly in Mobile Bay.                                         

“We simply don’t know how these endangered animals are using the Bay - what they are eating or why they are here,” states Dr. Carmichael.  “By tracking their locations and other conditions, we will gain a better understanding of how they live.”

By calling the toll-free number or visiting the webpage to e-mail their sightings, the public can help scientists find, study, and protect these vulnerable creatures.  Information needed includes:

•     Date and time of sighting (please use military time or note AM or PM)

•     Location of sighting with as much detail as possible, including an associated street address, river name, and (if possible) GPS coordinates

•     Name and phone number or e-mail address of reporting party

•     Number of animals and approximate size

•     Any distinguishing marks or scars (manatees can be identified by scarring patterns)

•     What they were doing (swimming, floating, foraging)

•     How they were spotted (from boat, dock, etc.)

•     Please send a photograph/.jpg, if one was taken
 

The “Mobile Manatee” program is part of a larger study that will include aerial and ground surveys of manatees in Mobile Bay and research to determine what manatees eat while in the Bay.  The project, funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is a collaboration between Dauphin Island Sea Lab and researchers at Wildlife Trust in Florida.           

“We really need everyone’s help.  We want people to be aware of manatees in Alabama waters, and to help us observe these animals in a positive way.  We hope that by including the public, we can improve the success of our study and reduce the likelihood of negative interactions such as boat strikes,” Dr. Carmichael adds.

“We appreciate as much information as possible to confirm a sighting, but we discourage people from approaching the animals.  Manatees need plenty of space.   We do not want to alter their natural behavior, scare them away, or harass them,” she emphasizes.  “The best rule of thumb is to stay at least 100 feet from manatees.  If you spot one, don’t chase them, feed them, or touch them.  Give us a call or visit the website as soon as possible, and we will get to work.”