How are manatees tracked?Updated 5 months ago

The tagging assembly consists of a belt, a tether, and a tag. The belt fits around the peduncle area of the manatee, just above the tail, and is designed to fall off after a period of time.

The floating tag contains three essential components: a GPS unit, a satellite transmitter, and a VHF transmitter. The GPS unit functions similarly to GPS units found in car navigation systems or your cell phone, accurately determining the location of the tag. The satellite-linked UHF transmitter, technically referred to as a platform transmitter terminal or PTT, sends these GPS locations—along with data on tag activity, temperature, and diving behavior—to orbiting satellites through various satellite systems.

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