The Research Project
The Invitation
Help Caryn, Katie, and the people of Belize determine the conservation needs
of the Antillean manatees living in the Belizean
coastal waters. Examine the data, discuss the issues, and share with us
your ideas for protecting the manatees!
The Problem
Like marine mammals the world over, manatee populations are in decline.
Manatees are threatened by
a loss of their habitat, water pollution, recreational boating, commercial
boat traffic, recreational and commercial fishing, and development—both
locally and inland.
The Drowned Cayes (Caryn &
Katie's study area) offer a rare opportunity to study these gentle creatures.
The study area contains a variety of different habitats, the water is relatively
clear, and the population of manatees found there are largely undisturbed
by human activities. However, the government of Belize and conservation
groups are concerned that as the human population increases so will their
use of the coastal waters where manatees live. It is important now to set
aside areas that are critical to the manatees’ survival.
The Research
In order to protect manatees, Katie and Caryn are seeking
more information about them and their habitat needs. In
particularthey want to know:
Caryn
and Katie have been conducting field research in Belize to determine answers
to these questions. Information gathered by Caryn and Katie will be shared
with the Belize Coastal Zone Management Authority, the National Manatee
Working Group, and the Conservation Division of the Belize Department
of Forestry. These groups will use this information to update The Belize
Manatee Recovery Plan.
The Data
In order to find answers to these questions, Caryn and Katie use a variety
of tools and research methodologies. Our
first two days on the expedition will be spent learning what these are
and how to use them so that we can be of help while out in the field with
them. We will post our data to the Daily Data section along with other
interesting things we find during our two-week stay on the Drowned Cayes.
