Florida Manatee Mortality 1974-2020

Original provider:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission - Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

Dataset credits:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission - Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

Abstract:
This dataset contains data from the geographic information system (GIS) shapefile of recovered Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) carcass locations within Florida from April 1974 through to the latest spatially verified data presently available. Locations are based both on coordinates provided by field staff (gathered either by geographic positioning system [GPS] or by using navigation charts to ascertain latitudes and longitudes) and maps provided by the field staff. Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) GIS staff in the Marine Mammal subsection verify that the provided coordinates match the intent of the plotted location. Points representing carcass locations were entered into a GIS using a digital shoreline basemap taken largely from NOAA navigation charts (1:40,000) and from USGS quadrangles (1:24,000). The scale is considered to be 1:40,000.

Purpose:
The primary use of this dataset is to display reported manatee carcass recovery locations and associated attributes, such as cause of death.

Supplemental information:
Prior to July 1, 2004, the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) was known as the Florida Marine Research Institute (FMRI).

Counts were not available and filled with "1"; time was not available and filled with "00:00:00."

07/28/2021: Data up to Aug 2020 were added.

01/07/2019: Data up to May 2017 were added. Data format was changed. The previous contact was replaced with Andrea Krzystan.

04/04/2019: Data up to Dec 2017 were added.

07/28/2016: March - June 2015 data were added. The data were downloaded from http://geodata.myfwc.com/datasets/ba5b92ec509f48f38c61aa542e96236f_1 on 07/28/2016.

03/29/2016: 2011-2015 data were added. The data were downloaded from http://geodata.myfwc.com/datasets/ba5b92ec509f48f38c61aa542e96236f_1.

11/11/2011: This dataset, originally containing data from 1974-early 2010, was updated to include data through December 2010 data.

07/21/2011: This dataset, originally containing data from 1974-2008, was updated to include 2009-2010 data.