About This Project

The Caribbean manatee, a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, inhabits coastal tropical waters of Latin America and the Caribbean. Habitat use is poorly studied in most of this range, including the Cuban archipelago, which contains the largest coastal habitat in the Caribbean. Our study is based in the Isla de La Juventud, south of the the main island of Cuba. Since manatees in this area live in dark water with poor visibility, we are using side-scan sonar to characterize the habitat.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

The University of Havana in Cuba has been conducting an ongoing project on Isla de la Juventud since 2007. The project has multiple goals. The first goal is to assess the abundance, distribution, movements, and habitat use of manatees in the area. The second is to describe the population behavior, group composition, and feeding habits. The third goal is to monitor habitat quality by monitoring temperature, food, and freshwater sources. The last but not least goal is to collect samples for genetic and diet studies. We have been collaborating with the University of Havana by providing habitat characterization using side-scan sonar since 2014.

What is the significance of this project?

Caribbean manatees are endangered. In many areas of their range, little is known about the local population size. We do know from historical accounts that manatee populations have been reduced dramatically. This might be the case for Cuba as well. By characterizing areas manatees are known to use, we can gain a better understanding of why manatees are using these areas. This in turn will allow us to identify other sites that could be useful manatee habitat. Knowing which sites are good for manatees will help us be able to monitor the population and lead to better conservation strategies for these animals.

What are the goals of the project?

The goal of this project is to better understand manatee movements, behavior, and habitat use. To accomplish this goal, we are creating bathymetric maps, 3D maps of the underwater surface, sonar mosaics, and microhabitat maps. We will then use these maps with location and habitat quality data to create habitat preference and use models.