Abstract:
This report provides sighting data from one year of aerial surveys of manatees over Manatee County, Florida, waters. It provides a summary of photo-identification efforts conducted at specific inshore and nearshore sites during the 2005-2006 contract year. The research efforts supported by Manatee County have allowed scientists to define high-use areas by manatees within county waters. The surveys have established that manatees are widely dispersed but that certain hot-spots exist. This information is useful to those who wish to guide development activities in a manner that minimizes impacts to manatees. Supplementing the aerial surveys, photo-ID efforts have started to establish a catalog of individuals, including several previously-unknown animals, that occupy Manatee County waters.
