A team of state and federal scientists will begin researching ways to restore, enhance and create warm-water manatee habitats along Florida’s Gulf Coast following a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Funding to kickstart the project, around $125,000, comes from N-O-A-A’s RESTORE Science Program. Chip Deutsch, with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, will lead the project, Naples Daily News reports. Money from N-O-A-A will help Deutsch and the team plan out and prioritize research into habitats for manatees. It’s possible the current warm-water habitats manatees use now will be less reliable in the future, Deutsch said, so a plan is needed to reliably give the manatees the habitat they need.

A team of state and federal scientists will begin researching ways to restore, enhance and create warm-water manatee habitats along Florida&rsquo;s Gulf Coast following a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Funding to kickstart the project, around $125,000, comes from N-O-A-A&rsquo;s RESTORE Science Program. Chip Deutsch, with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, will lead the project, Naples Daily News reports. Money from N-O-A-A will help Deutsch and the team plan out and prioritize research into habitats for manatees. It&rsquo;s possible the current warm-water habitats manatees use now will be less reliable in the future, Deutsch said, so a plan is needed to reliably give the manatees the habitat they need.

News briefs from the state of Florida.

Florida News Briefs - Florida Podcast

News Briefs from the state of Florida.