Learning About Antillean manatee Behavior and Habitat: A Collaborative Conservation Effort
Deep Voice is excited to announce a pioneering partnership with Mote Marine Laboratory and FINS (Florida Integrated Network of Seawater) to advance the conservation of the Antillean manatee, an endangered marine mammal found in the shallow waters of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. This project combines cutting-edge AI technology with decades of scientific research to help protect these remarkable creatures.
The Manatee: A Species in Need of Protection
The Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus), affectionately known as the “sea cow,” is a gentle, herbivorous marine mammal that finds one of its most critical sanctuaries in Belize. This small Central American nation is home to one of the largest remaining populations of this endangered subspecies. Belize’s shallow coastal waters, rivers, lagoons, and intricate ecosystems of seagrass beds, mangroves, and coral reefs provide essential habitats for manatees to feed, mate, rest, and raise their young. These environments serve as lifelines, offering interconnected pathways and freshwater access points crucial for their survival. Seagrass beds, in particular, are central to the manatee’s diet, providing the primary food source, while mangroves and lagoons offer shelter and protection for calves.
The Antillean manatee’s behavior reflects its evolution in habitats with few natural predators, allowing it to develop a slow-paced, energy-efficient lifestyle. Their large size and low metabolic rates enable them to dive deeply and conserve energy for extended periods. Manatees are primarily solitary creatures, but they exhibit social behavior during specific periods. During the colder months, they congregate in warm-water habitats, and during the breeding season, they form temporary mating herds. These behaviors are particularly evident in Belize, where the abundance of rivers, lagoons, and coastal zones supports such seasonal aggregations.
Communication is another fascinating aspect of the Antillean manatee’s life, essential for their social interactions. Manatees rely on a variety of vocalizations, including squeaks and screeches, to communicate with one another, especially between mothers and their calves. These vocal patterns vary by age, sex, and social context, and research indicates that manatees can recognize individual voices, a trait that enhances their ability to navigate their social environments. In Belize’s busier waterways, where human activity is prevalent, manatees adapt their communication by increasing their vocal efforts in response to noise, a phenomenon known as the Lombard effect. This adaptability demonstrates their resilience but also underscores the challenges they face in human – dominated environments.
Despite Belize’s natural advantages, the Antillean manatee population remains highly vulnerable, with fewer than 2,500 adults estimated to remain in the wild. In Belize, threats include boat collisions – often a result of increased tourism and watercraft traffic—entanglement in fishing nets, habitat destruction due to pollution and development, and occasional poaching, though this practice has diminished in recent years. The slow reproductive rate of the species, with females birthing a single calf approximately every two years, further exacerbates population decline.
Conservation efforts in Belize are crucial and ongoing, leveraging both local and international expertise. Researchers from organizations such as the Mote Marine Laboratory, in collaboration with Dr. Eric Angel Ramos and FINS, are employing innovative techniques to study manatee movements and vocalizations. These studies provide critical data on how manatees use their habitats, communicate, and interact with their environment. This information is essential for developing targeted conservation strategies, such as establishing protected areas, reducing boat speed limits in manatee hotspots, and educating communities about the importance of preserving this iconic species.
The Antillean manatee is more than just a symbol of Belize’s natural heritage—it is a keystone species that reflects the health of the country’s coastal ecosystems. Protecting them not only ensures the survival of a species but also safeguards the ecological balance of Belize’s rich marine environments for generations to come.
Combining Acoustic Monitoring, Drones, and GIS
This project uses a multi-faceted approach to track and understand manatee activity. Acoustic recording devices monitor the manatees’ vocalizations—squeaks, squeals, and other sounds that provide rich insights into their behavior. In tandem, drones and GIS (Geographic Information System) technology track manatee movements, both day and night, offering a more complete picture of how they navigate and use their habitats.
The challenge is in processing the enormous amount of data generated. With thousands of hours of sound recordings, traditional methods are too slow and labor-intensive to yield timely insights.
AI-Driven Solution for Efficient Data Analysis
Here’s where Deep Voice comes in. Collaborating closely with Dr. Ramos, we developed an AI-based detection tool that automatically recognizes and classifies manatee vocalizations in real time. This tool enables the research team to rapidly analyze large datasets, helping them to understand manatee activity patterns, critical habitat usage, and variations in their movements across day and night.
Conservation Impact and Future Directions
This AI-driven technology is already proving invaluable for conservation management. By detecting manatee vocalizations and mapping their activity, the project is identifying critical habitats, which can guide the establishment of protected areas and inform specific conservation guidelines. Understanding where manatees are most active enables conservationists to better mitigate risks, such as collisions with boats in high-traffic areas.
In keeping with Deep Voice’s commitment to open-source innovation, we’ve made the code for our detection tool freely available. This approach allows other researchers and conservationists to use and build upon the technology in their own projects, helping to establish a global network of scientists working together to protect marine mammals through AI-powered research.
Looking Ahead
Our partnership with Mote Marine Laboratory and FINS exemplifies how Deep Voice is harnessing AI and acoustic monitoring to support marine mammal conservation worldwide. We’re thrilled to be part of this innovative project and look forward to expanding it further.
Together, through data-driven research and collaboration, we can work toward a brighter future for marine mammals like the Antillean manatee.
