Manatee Biology

Manatee-Boat Collisions

A majority (53%) of adult manatee mortality is a result of a boat collision. As the reproductively active segment of the population, adults are vital to the long-term persistence of the species. My research focuses on

  • How manatees behave when a boat approaches them in the wild

  • Understanding the acoustically complicated situations a manatee faces during boat approaches

  • Integrating research across laboratory and field studies to apply findings to the issue of boat collisions


Recent work in this area

Rycyk, A. M., Bauer, G. B., Wells, R. S., Gaspard III, J. C., & Mann, D. A. (2022) The influence of variations in background noise on Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) detection of boat noise and vocalizations, PLoS ONE, 17(5), e0268513, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0268513

Rycyk, Athena M., Deutsch, Charles, J., Barlas, Margaret E., Hardy, Stacie, Frisch, Katherine, Leone, Erin H., & Nowacek, Doug P. (2018) Manatee behavioral responses to boats. Marine Mammal Science, 34: 924-962. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12491 Among the top 10% most downloaded papers from the journal between January 2018 and December 2019.

Martin, Julien, Sabatier, Quentin, Gowan, Timothy A., Giraud, Christophe, Gurarie, Eliezer, Calleson, C. Scott, Ortega-Ortiz, Joel G., Deutsch, Charles J., Rycyk, Athena M., & Koslovsky, Stacie (2016) A quantitative framework for investigating risk of deadly collisions between marine wildlife and boats. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 7: 42-50. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12447

Reep, Roger, Rycyk, Athena M., Gaspard, Joe, Colbert, Debborah E., Nowacek, Doug, Deutsch, Charles, Mann, David, & Bauer, Gordon. (2019) Manatee hearing and collisions with boats. Manuscript in preparation.

Rycyk, Athena M., Reep, Roger, Gaspard, Joe, Colbert-Luke, Debborah, Nowacek, Doug, Deutsch, Charles J., Mann, David, & Bauer, Gordon. (2019) Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) Hearing and Boat Collisions: Integration of Laboratory and Field Studies. Oral presentation at the Manatee Research Symposium, Gainesville, FL

Rycyk, Athena M., Deutsch, Charles, J., Barlas, Margaret E., Koslovsky, Stacie, Frisch, Katherine, Leone, Erin H. & Nowacek, Doug P. (2018) Florida manatee behavioral response to boats. Oral presentation at the Manatee Research Symposium, Gainesville, FL

You can watch a webinar I presented for the Hatfield Marine Science Center at Oregon State University: Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) Hearing and Boat Collisions: Integration of Laboratory and Field Studies

Manatee Algae Cover

Most manatees in the wild have algae growing on them, but the density and extent varies greatly in the population. Some may have only a hint of algae growth while others may have a fur-like layer. With colleagues, we've characterized algae cover on manatees and are exploring possible links with season, salinity, and year. Extensive algae growth on manatees may by a consequence of immunosuppression and could interfere with their highly developed tactile sense.


Recent work in this area

Rycyk, Athena M. Skinner, Jessica, Ryba, Tyrone, & Erdsack, Nicola. (2019) Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) Algae Cover. Oral presentation at the Manatee Research Symposium, Gainesville, FL