I love working for SMC, because it's fulfilling. Although days can be long and unpredictable during manatee season, at the end of the day I feel like I'm making a difference.
Of course every job has ups and downs and involves parts that are more fun than others 🙂
I have worked for SMC since the beginning of 2014, so about 5 1/2 years.
I used to work in television in NYC before that, but I did not find that job fulfilling. After I made my own independent documentary about manatees and met many people around Florida that work with manatees, I stayed in touch with SMC. A year later, they offered me a few months of contract work to help them with their live webcams at Blue Spring, educational videos and public service announcements. After a year of contracting, I joined the staff full-time in 2015. I love that I can use my background in film/media and communication to help this cause, while at the same time getting the opportunity to participate in the research.
(I have to admit, 8 years ago I didn't even know manatees existed)
My favorite place to see them is probably Blue Spring State Park in the winter time. Not just because I work there, but because it's a protected warm water winter refuge, where manatees can just be manatees without the interference of people.
The research at Blue Spring is very special to me. We can trace some genealogies back to the early 1970s making this one of the best research spots for manatees in the world. We run a life-history program and have some manatee family trees that go back 7 generations by now.
I also really love our international programs. We partner with manatee facilities and researchers in West Africa, South America and Belize. I had the opportunity twice now to go to Belize and help out at Wildtracks where I got to bottle-feed an orphaned manatee calf.
In addition I love our live webcams at Blue Spring State Park which gives people from around the world the opportunity to see manatees live during the winter time, even if they can't come to Florida to see them in person.
Last but not least, we have a Save the Manatee 5K race in Michigan every year - yes, Michigan. A local biology teacher started this 16 years ago to raise money for SMC. They also started a virtual run 4 years ago and now we have over 1,200 participants from around the world running, walking, hiking, swimming, kayaking, biking for manatees - all to support the cause.
My favorite part is doing the manatee research at Blue Spring during the winter months when I can accompany Manatee Specialist Wayne Hartley on the morning "roll calls" where we count the manatees and identify them (by the scars that they have). Blue Spring is one of the largest winter aggregation sites for manatees and a protected sanctuary during the winter months. Counting and ID'ing the manatees every year is like family coming home. You get to know them all.
Another part I love about my job is the outreach work and opportunity to make educational videos and talk to people. I strongly believe that if people learn and understand about manatees and the issues they face, they will love them and care about them.
I use my background in Communication to deliver the science to the general public to make them understand and care.
Our volunteers mainly help us with outreach and education work, for example by giving presentations, and helping at festivals and outreach events. We also have opportunities for volunteers to help in our office in Maitland. For those who live close to Blue Spring State Park, we have a Manatee Observer Program there in the summer months where volunteers prevent manatee harassment by swimmers, snorkelers, divers and paddlers.
We are currently also establishing a similar volunteer program on the Gulf coast of Florida near Tampa.
*Volunteer opportunities can be found here: https://www.savethemanatee.org/how-to-help/volunteer/
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