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Human presence and sexual activity of West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus) at Crystal River, Florida

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Date Issued:
1995
Summary:
Free-ranging manatees wintering in the warm water of Kings Spring, Crystal River, Florida, were studied to determine the relationships between human presence and their sexual behaviors. The manatees of Crystal River are unique because of frequent exposure to large numbers of snorkelers and divers. Quantitative knowledge of such relationships are becoming increasingly important as preservation measures are reviewed to ensure that the human activity at the Spring does not pose a threat to manatee reproduction. Focal animal sampling provided sexual behavioral data of manatees during randomly selected 30 min sampling periods. Frequencies of four of the eight observed sexual behaviors increased significantly in the presence of humans. Differences were also found between the types of sexual behaviors manatees exhibited while interacting with conspecifics, and the behaviors displayed with humans. Manatees appeared to be hyperstimulated in the presence of humans. No conclusions could be made about the effects of human interaction on manatee reproductive success because of the relatively short duration of the study.
Title: Human presence and sexual activity of West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus) at Crystal River, Florida.
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Name(s): Abernathy, Barbara E.
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Adams, Ralph M., Thesis advisor
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Department of Biological Sciences
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 1995
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 34 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: Free-ranging manatees wintering in the warm water of Kings Spring, Crystal River, Florida, were studied to determine the relationships between human presence and their sexual behaviors. The manatees of Crystal River are unique because of frequent exposure to large numbers of snorkelers and divers. Quantitative knowledge of such relationships are becoming increasingly important as preservation measures are reviewed to ensure that the human activity at the Spring does not pose a threat to manatee reproduction. Focal animal sampling provided sexual behavioral data of manatees during randomly selected 30 min sampling periods. Frequencies of four of the eight observed sexual behaviors increased significantly in the presence of humans. Differences were also found between the types of sexual behaviors manatees exhibited while interacting with conspecifics, and the behaviors displayed with humans. Manatees appeared to be hyperstimulated in the presence of humans. No conclusions could be made about the effects of human interaction on manatee reproductive success because of the relatively short duration of the study.
Identifier: 15159 (digitool), FADT15159 (IID), fau:11932 (fedora)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1995.
Subject(s): West Indian manatee--Sexual behavior--Florida
Manatees--Sexual behavior--Florida
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/15159
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.