Another important part of manatee research, conducted by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, is to determine animal movements and critical habitat. The radio and the satellite tag assembly allows researchers to follow individual manatees for up to two years without causing harm or discomfort to the animal. A belt is attached around the base of the tail and connects to a flexible tether and floating transmitter. While the flexible tether is designed to avoid entanglement in debris, a machined groove weak point allows the manatee to break free if the tag gets caught. Unique color band combinations at the top of each transmitter are used for visual identification of individual manatees.

Researchers have been able to record some interesting and informative manatee movements as a result of the tagging program. One manatee named "Chessie" traveled all the way to Pt. Judith, RI, in the summer of 1995. Before Chessie's trek, the most northernly documented manatee sighting was in the Potamac River. Another manatee made a 200-mile trip from Brevard County to Port Everglades in less than 10 days. Another manatee moved between Fernandina Beach and Brevard County seven times, making this 150-mile trip in less than 4 days on at least one occasion. She swam nearly 45 miles per day and traveled into the Atlantic Ocean and along the beach for several portions of the journey. These rapid, long distance movements had not previously been documented for individual manatees.

Data obtained from aerial surveys and the tagging program are used to identify important manatee habitats, have aided in the establishment of manatee protection zones in Florida, and will help with the designation of new areas in the future.

• Explore the technology involved in tracking manatees. Radio signals from the transmitter are received by polar orbiting satellites and analyzed to yield locational data. Sensors built into the unit give additional data on water temperature and the manatee's activity. Researchers access the information daily by computer.

  • Have the class research information about satellites. What are they? How do they work? How do they get up in space?

  • Contact an electronics expert at your local high school, vocational school, or community college. Ask them to be a guest speaker and give information on radio signals. How does the information from the transmitter get up to the satellite and down to the researchers? What do the terms "uplink" and "downlink" mean? How is research data decoded by the computer?

  • Have the students explore other things that use radio communications. For example: a television, radio, microwave, garage door opener, and cordless telephone all use radio signals.

• As a class, design a manatee research program. What would the students like to know about manatees that they don't already know? Some examples could be:

  • Can manatees identify certain sounds? If so, what sounds might repel them away from boats? What would the research project be?

  • Can manatees identify color? People? What research projects could be designed to answer these questions?

• Nutrition is a major factor in insuring the good health of manatees.

  • Have students research the nutritional values of various foods: fruits, vegetables, etc. Have them write to their state department of agriculture or local agricultural extension office for more information.

  • Make lists of animals that are herbivores (plant-eaters), carnivores (flesh-eaters), or omnivores (plant and flesh-eaters). Compare the nutritional needs of each. For example, how do carnivores get vitamin C? How do herbivores get protein?

  • Compare the nutritional needs of people and manatees.

• Organize a "wildlife rehabilitation information team." Find out what students can do to help injured or orphaned wildlife in your area. Compile a list of local wildlife rehabilitators. Get information from them on what to do with an orphaned or injured animal. Contact local parks, nature centers, private nonprofit conservation groups or state resource agencies and find out if there is volunteer work students can do to help wildlife.