Veterinary scientist to chair manatee rehabilitation partnership

Iske Larkin, Ph.D., an assistant scientist with the University of Florida's Aquatic Animal Health program, will chair the Manatee Rehabilitation Partnership.

The partnership consists of a consortium of scientists, educators, government agencies, wildlife organizations, zoos and aquariums, all of which are involved in rehabilitating and monitoring released Florida manatees. The group's goal is to monitor released manatees to ensure their survival in the wild, provide new data to improve rehabilitated manatee survivorship and to continue to learn about manatee natural history.

Larkin's research interests include Florida manatee reproductive endocrinology, reproductive behavior, embryology and development. She arranges several courses relating to aquatic animal health for the UF College of Veterinary Medicine and has for several years coordinated a lecture series that brings experts in various aspects of aquatic animal health to Gainesville to speak with college faculty, staff and students as well as the public.

For more information about the partnership, go to www.wildtracks.org.