Manatee watch: How you can help track manatees in Volusia County

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Volusia County is looking for people to volunteer to help track manatees in local waterways.

If you live on the water, spend a lot of time near the water or are an avid boater, you are encouraged to sign up. The program is open to individuals age 16 or older, families, businesses and civic organizations.

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There are two free training sessions coming up next month for people to join the county’s Manatee Watch program:

• 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 1, at the Volusia County Historic Courthouse, 125 W. New York Ave., DeLand.
• 10 a.m. to noon Sunday, March 5, at the Daytona Beach Lifeguard Headquarters, 515 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach.

Read: FWC investigating high level of manatee deaths

“With the help of volunteers, we can get a better understanding of how manatees are using Volusia County waterways,” said Debbie Wright, Volusia County’s manatee protection program manager.

Manatee Watchers are trained to observe manatee behavior, document manatee sightings, photograph manatees and sketch scar patterns.

Read: More than 80 manatees being rehabbed across Florida as starvation crisis continues

County officials said information gathered from Manatee Watch volunteers provides vital manatee information, including behavior, movement within waterways, habitat use and individual identification.

Advance registration is required for the training sessions. To sign up, contact Chad Murch at ManateeWatch@volusia.org or 386-736-5927, ext. 12839. For more information about manatees and Manatee Watch, click here.

VIDEO: FWC investigating high level of manatee deaths Florida’s struggling manatee population is already off to a rough start this year. (Melonie Holt, WFTV.com/WFTV)

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