Researchers from Wageningen University and Research (WUR) have equipped the manatees in Burgers Zoo with cameras. “Vlogging manatees” are used to research kelp fields.
Kelp fields are grassy meadows under water. “That grass is very important for people who live on the coast,” explains WUR researcher Marjolijn Christianen. “It ensures sand is retained and coasts are safer.”
Manatees have an important role in maintaining the sea grass. “Manatees graze and keep some grassy areas short,” Christianen explains. Manatees are endangered and therefore cannot keep up with all the seaweed. “But where they are still found, they maintain a kind of garden. The alternation of short and long grass provides a living environment for other animals.”
Also, plants can store CO2 faster thanks to grazing manatees. “Seagrasses are not well known, but they are actually very important for capturing CO2 from the atmosphere,” says Christianen.
Looking over the manatee’s snout
To learn more about manatees and kelp meadows, researchers equipped manatees at Burgers’ Zoo in Arnhem with cameras. “We can see the choices the beast makes on the manatees’ snouts,” Christianen explains. “Why does it graze in one place and not another?”
During the test phase at Burgers Zoo, animal keepers and biologists from Arnhem Zoo examine where the cameras can best be attached to the manatees’ bodies. If the test is successful, manatees in the Caribbean will also be equipped with a camera.
So the researchers also hope to gain new insights into the location of seagrass beds through manatees. “At the moment we don’t know exactly where the sea grass is, because clear water is needed for satellite images,” says Christianen. “We hope the manatees write our algae maps for us.”
Christianen also points out that the manatee is an endangered species. “To properly protect them, it’s important to know a lot about their living environment and what they need.”
