Florida Marine Mammal Lab Receives $18 Million Upgrade for Research

Overdue Facility Upgrades

• 💡 The FWC Marine Mammal Lab at Eckerd College, established in 1991, is receiving a much-needed $18 million upgrade.
• 🎯 The current 2400 sq ft facility, originally designed for about 100 manatee necropsies and a few cetaceans annually with three staff, is now outgrown.
• 📈 The lab now handles hundreds of manatees and dolphins per year with eight staff members, leading to crowded conditions.

Expanding Research Capabilities

• 🔬 The lab performs vital research on sick and dying marine mammals to understand environmental impacts.
• 🐬 Researchers conduct necropsies on manatees and other sea creatures to determine causes of death or illness.
• ⚠️ The lab's response area spans from Manatee County north to the Alabama border.

New Facility Features

• 🚀 The new facility will expand to 10,000 square feet, doubling the current space.
• 🏗️ It will include larger hold rooms for animals, a conference center, and an observation area for training purposes.

Funding and Partnership

• 💰 Funds for the project are sourced from the Federal Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund, established after the BP oil spill.
• 🤝 Eckerd College is providing the land, continuing a long-standing partnership with the FWC, which benefits the college's marine science program.
• ✨ The upgrade is considered a legacy project for researchers like Andy Garrett, aiming to serve for several more decades.