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From the Field:
From a remote mangrove island off the coast of Belize, Megan reports on research findings, life as a field biologist and fascinating observations of the natural world.
Manatee Research, the Real Story: February 24, 2003 Things
are Looking Up: March 3, 2003 An Exciting Encounter: Friday March 21, 2003 After completing a marine biology degree from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada, Megan Sanders embarked on a six-month journey through Central America. During the first 2 � months of her trip, Megan will be completing an internship with the Earthwatch Manatees in Belize research project.
Led by marine scientists Caryn Self Sullivan from Texas A&M University and Katherine LaCommare from the University of Massachusetts, researchers working on the project will be building a photo, video, and acoustic database of individual manatees in the Drowned Cayes, a string of mangrove islands off the coast of Belize. They hope to find out how these endangered animals affect the seagrass beds they feed on and how they divide their time between traveling, feeding, resting, and socializing. Using a geographic information system (GIS) to examine the associations between manatee distribution, spacing, behavior and environmental variables, they will develop a model to predict the distribution and behavior of these animals. The findings of this research project will help Belize to best protect the manatees in their waters. The project will also contribute to manatee conservation by communicating information to local non-profits, public education and outreach programs, publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at professional conferences. Thank you to Megan and Earthwatch for the pictures and images. There are still volunteer positions open for the Earthwatch Manatees in Belize Research Project! To find out more, click here. More info:
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� Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre 2003
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