Best, Meg

From July 20 through July 29, I had an amazing opportunity to spend time in Belize, Central America, through my master’s program, the Global Field Program.  This program, through Miami University in Ohio, includes three Earth Expedition trips such as this, each focused on specific ecology and conservation issues.

Manatee Photo from Sea to Shore Alliance.

The trip to Belize was focused on four main topics: Inquiry, Community-Based Conservation, Ecology of Manatees, and Ecology of Coral Reefs.  My 22 classmates and I travelled all around Belize, immersing ourselves in the rain forest and ocean, meeting the people of Belize (such rich cultures!), and getting to know the country’s conservation efforts.  I experienced so much on this trip, but what I would really like to share is my experience with manatees.  Before we left, I wrote a paper about zoos and manatees, and during the trip, I constantly turned my thoughts back to the question carried posed in that paper: “How can Cheyenne Mountain Zoo get involved with manatee conservation?”

Looking out for the manatees

On July 24^th, we travelled to Belize City to meet Nicole Auil Gomez and Jamal Galves, experts working with the Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute (http://www.coastalzonebelize.org/), and the Sea to Shore Alliance (http://public.sea2shore.org/home).  Nicole briefed us in the classroom on manatee taxonomy as well as management and conservation, and the research projects she and Jamal are involved in.  Jamal has just received some grant funding to help further his research in tracking manatees and working with local people to manage no wake zones and strandings (manatees that are found near the shore, usually injured or dead).

Meg with Jamal Galves

 After the classroom session, Jamal took us out on the boat to help him with his research!  We started at the mouth of the Belize River, where the water flows into the Caribbean Sea, counting the number of noses that came up as manatees rose to the surface for air.  We also took measurements of temperature (air and water), salinity, and particulates, as well as collected sea grass and even manatee poop!

Telemetry belt around the peduncle of a manatee
Photo from Sea to Shore Alliance

Tuning into the frequency.

For me, the best part of this experience by far was using telemetry to track the manatees. Manatees captured by Jamal and Nicole’s team each receive an individual health assessment and a skin sample from the tail is taken for genetic research.  Then, a radio tracking device is belted on the manatee at the narrowest part of the body, near the tail.  The tracker is buoyed on a line about six feet long and it only sends a signal when it comes up above the water.  It also has a quick release so the manatee can get free if it gets caught on something.  Each radio tracker sends out a different signal so Jamal can keep track of each individual animal.  This process allowed us to track and spot manatees, as well as conduct behavioral research.

Manatee mom and baby, photo courtesy
of Sea to Shore Alliance board member,
Jimmy White.

As I mentioned, I kept thinking “How can Cheyenne Mountain Zoo get involved with manatee conservation?”  We do not have manatees at CMZ; in fact there are only five zoos in the country that do have them.  But does that mean we can’t help make a difference?  I will be pondering this more and you will hear from me again as I start to formulate some ideas.  If you have one, I would love to hear it!  Just send me an email at mmcdaniel@cmzoo.org.

Best,

Meg

Meg McDaniel is the Academic Programs Manager her at CMZ.