Make a donation here!
Thank you for making a meaningful difference.
Bioacoustic Monitoring
UFMAR’s response area is extensive with a natural, coastal shoreline, few public beaches, and a small human population. To add to our ability to detect animals in the area, UFMAR deployed a passive acoustic monitoring station at Fanning Springs State Park that records sounds produced by manatees, using Hydromoth recorders and a Loggerhead Instrument SNAP recorder. A component of this research is in collaboration with Dr. Athena Rycyk from New College of Florida, who is investigating distinct properties of manatee vocalizations. In partnership with and financial support from Save the Manatee Club (special thanks to Cora Berchem and Pat Rose), it is hoped that individual manatees can be identified by their vocalizations with a long-term goal of using this capability to track their presence and movements.
To learn more:
Unpiloted Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Projects
Unpiloted aerial vehicles (UAVs, commonly called “drones”) are now being used by scientists to study marine mammals. This technology can be applied to a range of activities including locating stranded animals, monitoring animal behavior, and understanding habitat use. With the drone’s birds’ eye view, teams are provided better insight into the current behavioral and physical state of the animal. Our drone(s) (Autel Evo II and Parrot Anafi) have proven to be advantageous on multiple manatee events that require the animal to be located, rescued and then relocated. Notice in the video below how quickly the manatee disappears once it dives.
A secondary value of using a drone from both land and boat-based stranding responses is an improved understanding of local, seasonal and tidal changes. Florida’s Nature Coast experiences extensive tidal shifts, leaving grasslands and shallow areas with limited boat access. Due to the inaccessibility of the vast majority of UFMAR’s coverage coastline, the team heavily relies on our Carolina Skiff and kayaks for navigation. In order to mount an appropriate, effective, and timely response to a stranding report, the drone allows us to scan large areas of shore and navigable water to better understand the environment in which we are responding and how it changes throughout the day. Thus, we can choose the best equipment and approach to facilitate a response and anticipate changes in the local environment throughout the day or season.
To learn more:
- Stranded marine mammal detection by the public, trained responders, and drones using decoy carcasses
Video credit: Dana Lanier.
Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) and Spirometry
Manatees can range in size up to 12 feet and weigh up to 3,000 lbs. They are anatomically unique with their lung field extending much of the length of their body situated above the heart, liver, and intestines. This presents challenges in interpreting medical images of these organs. Additionally, standard imaging systems, such as radiographs, CT, MRI, and ultrasound, are not currently capable of accurately measuring lung function or assessing infectious or traumatic lung disease in manatees.
In collaboration with Dr. Andy Adler from Carleton University and Dr. Andreas Fahlman from Global Diving Research SL, we are adapting Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) which is an imaging technique that visualizes differences in electrical conductivity, comparing different tissues in 2D and 3D formats. EIT can be easily applied to larger manatees exceeding the size limit for CT, MRI, and ultrasound, particularly to aid in diagnosis, direct treatment, and monitor healing when there is concern for traumatic damage to the lungs or diaphragm.
Manatees are commonly injured by watercraft, resulting in loss of lung function due to traumatic injury and/or disease. Spirometry is a common lung volume function test that measures the inhalation and exhalation capability of the lungs. Thus, spirometry can help to detect decreased lung volume function and monitor progress during treatment to gauge return to health and potential for release. Spirometry can be modified to further assess the efficiency of oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange, enabling veterinarians and caretakers to consider options for care.
Evaluating the potential of these techniques and validating their application for use in manatees provides non-invasive, low-cost lung imaging and function levels. Potential benefits for manatee conservation could be improving outcomes for manatees impacted by vessel strikes.
To learn more:
Marine Mammal Surveillance
Click on the images above to see full-size photos and captions.
*All cetacean, manatee, and sea turtle efforts are conducted under proper permits and authorization. Cetacean efforts are conducted under a Stranding Agreement between NOAA/NMFS and University of Florida Marine Animal Rescue program. Manatee efforts are conducted under FWS permit MA770191. Sea turtle efforts are conducted under FWC Marine Turtle Permit No.194.
