Researchers gain new insights on manatees in Atlantic Ocean
SAVANNAH, GA (AP) — With the help of satellites, a group of tagged manatees is helping to reveal how the giant mammals traverse the waters along Georgia’s coast.
The Savannah Morning News reports that workers from wildlife agencies and organizations in Georgia and Florida netted eight manatees in Cumberland Sound in late May and early June.
With a helicopter helping spot the animals, a custom manatee capture boat was used to encircle them with a net so they could be examined and fitted with satellite tracking devices.
The GPS data showed that the manatees regularly venture into Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, they’re able to find artificial freshwater sources to drink from, and a few have traveled into the open Atlantic venturing as far as five miles offshore.
___
Information from: Savannah Morning News, http://www.savannahnow.com
(Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Leave a Reply