| Popis: |
Ten one-day aerial surveys were conducted in winter, 1984–1985, to assess manatee distribution and abundance around five Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) plants: Cape Canaveral (PCC), Riviera (PRV), Port Everglades (PPE), Lauderdale (PFL) and Fort Myers (PFM). A total of 3804 manatees was observed, with a maximum of 636 animals for a single survey. Individual surveys for 1984–1985 produced higher combined counts for all plants than in previous years. Maximum counts for PRV, PPE and PFM were the highest recorded for those particular plants. The maximum count for PCC in 1984–1985 was lower than counts from most previous years, and the maximum from PFL was intermediate, relative to maxima from previous years. The counts along the east coast of Florida probably reflected a southward redistribution of manatees as well as very cold January weather after warm December conditions. The high count at PFM probably resulted from cold January weather and surface resting behaviour by the manatees which made them more visible than usual. Calves represented 10·3% of the animals observed near the FPL plants and in Hobe Sound. PFM had a higher percentage of calves than did other plants. |
