Georgia aquarium, INC. (GAI), a nonprofit educational institution, is a member of the manatee rescue rehabilitation partnership (MRP) and is one of a few members located outside the state of florida…

The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service awarded a $200,000 Project Grant to the Georgia Aquarium, Inc. (GAI) under the Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program (CFDA 15.683). The grant will provide funding for GAI to purchase a specialized vehicle to safely transport rehabilitated West Indian manatees for reintroduction and to support emergency response and carcass retrieval activities along the Georgia coast and throughout the Southeast U.S. As a member of the Manatee Rescue Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP), GAI is one of the few non-Florida based facilities that cares for orphaned or medically rehabilitated manatees prior to their release. The grant will enhance GAI's capacity to coordinate manatee transport and field operations with other MRP partners. Additionally, the funding will enable GAI to expand its involvement in annual manatee population surveys and health assessments in Georgia's coastal regions and tidal tributaries.

Georgia aquarium, INC. (GAI), a nonprofit educational institution, is a member of the manatee rescue rehabilitation partnership (MRP) and is one of a few members located outside the state of florida that maintains manatees. The aquariums primary role within the MRP is to provide medium-term care to grow orphaned or otherwise medically rehabilitated florida manatees to a size appropriate for reintroduction into their home range. GAI routinely participates in the transfer of manatees to and from florida and its animal care facility but must do so based upon availability of other MRP members approved transport vehicles. In addition, GAI engages in annual manatee population surveys and health assessments along the georgia coastal region, including tidal tributaries. Capacity to respond to a sick or orphaned manatee during field surveys requires logistical facilitation with other MRP partners that have an appropriate vehicle. This proposal seeks funding through the prescott grant program for the purchase of a new, properly outfitted vehicle to safely transport live manatees as described, and to expand gais ability to engage in and support a range of manatee activities in florida and throughout the southeast united states. Support is needed to transport animals for reintroduction, first response to strandings, and manatee carcass retrieval. The vehicles cargo space must be equipped for both human and manatee safety.