How do the survey results compare to manatee mortality statistics?
The manatee synoptic survey results can not be compared to mortality statistics. The synoptic survey provides a minimum count, not a population estimate, since we don’t know how many animals observers may have missed during the survey. The mortality data provide all the information we have about dead manatees, both recovered and reported. Some carcasses may go unreported, so the mortality information may not provide the full picture of individuals lost from the population. Both provide useful information, but comparing them is not an accurate way to reach conclusions about the status of the population.
