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The veterinary treatment pen, and release pens have to be close to the Wildtracks HQ, so that veterinary observation can be maintained. The Wildtracks HQ is on the northern tip of the Belizean Caribbean coast. Field conditions are basic, but easy access to the permanent HQ means facilities are rustic, but good. Nearest Town: Sarteneja, a little fishing village on the Caribbean coastline of northern Belize not far from the Mexican border. Base Camp: Base camp is located in cabanas (“beach bungalows”) close to Wildtracks HQ. Sleeping accommodation is in tents and there is room in the cabanas to cook, eat and store the equipment. A pit latrine serves for a toilet and a combination of solar showers and a nearby pool are used to keep clean after a hard day’s work. Water is available from the nearby HQ and regular food supplies can be obtained from the village. Background:
What is a Manatee?:
Habitat and Range: What is Wildtrack's role?: Manatee are fairly regularly hit by the local fishermen on their way out to sea. The need existed to build a restraining pen so that vets could treat injured animals. A series of release pens were also required so that convalescent animals could be monitored. Wildtracks have taken in a injured manatees, as well as orphaned ones. With increased boat traffic, more injuries and more orphans are inevitable. Until now there has been no official manatee rehabilitation centre in Belize, meaning that orphans have had to be shipped to Mexico for care. Wildtracks backs onto a lagoon (a natural habitat for manatees) so the idea of constructing pens and paddling pool “intensive care pools” was logical. This method of care has been challenging because constant water changes (sometimes several times a day) have to be done by hand. Project Aims: The aim of our project is to build a permanent intensive care pools, complete with water pump and heater, to care for sick baby manatees. 2 permanent lagoon enclosures with feeding platforms are also required. In the future, changing rooms and showers (for carers, often working through the day and night) and a second intensive care pool are planned.
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Location & Field Conditions
They are large, gray-brown aquatic mammals with a body that tapers to a flat, paddle- shaped tail. They have two flippers with three to four nails on each and their head and face are wrinkled with whiskers on the snout. The manatee's closest relative is the elephant and hyrax (a small furry animal that resembles a rodent and lives in Africa). Manatees are believed to have evolved from a wading, plant-eating animal; they are docile vegetarians. The manatees in Belize are related to the West African manatee (the dugong) and the Amazon manatee. The average adult manatee is about 10 feet long and weighs half-a-tonne.