Lake Pontchartrain Manatees

Hello! I am a Masters student at UNO and I am doing my research on manatees in Lake Pontchartrain. If you don't mind, please check out my research so that you or anyone you know can report a manatee that was seen within the last 5 years. I would really appreciate it. Thank you!!

https://www.facebook.com/louisianamanatee/

I do not recall exactly the last time I spotted manatees in Lake Pontchartrain but can most definitely tell you that post-Katrina,there were at least 2-3 manatees sighted and that would have been 2005 or so.I did see a huge one probably well over 5 years ago,probably more like 8-10 years ago and I was fishing off Goose Point,probably about no more than a mile or two due west of the tip of Goose Point and I spotted what looked like a rather large individual in a wetsuit blowing water way higher than I thought possible and upon motoring much closer,saw a huge manatee,probably well over 6-7 ft long and I know how docile and inquisitive they are,so I maintained safe distance so as not to injure this 'sea cow'!I am not sure if I posted it on this site or Rod n Reel but a search might yield the exact date I posted.On this site I post under the pseudonym,Mandevillian,and on Rod n Reel,I use an abbreviated version of my name,Tony Cyprus,Jr.Hope dat helps and I am a 1980 BA Biological Sciences Grad of UNO and Dr.Robert Kashner was one of my favorite profs!!

Mandevillian

I saw one at the Madisonville boat launch on 6/29/2016 right around 3:00 pm. I was on the small dock next to the ramp holding the boat while my dad parked the truck. It surfaced not 3 feet from the dock. Got my phone ready to catch it on video but never resurfaced. It was much bigger that I expected them to be. Seemed over 8 ft long, probably closer to 10 ft. long. Pretty cool sight!

Thank you so much for your input! This really helps a lot!

Thank you, Tony! I have been collecting sites that you're likely to run into a manatee and I will definitely add this one to the list!!

Will never forget our very first encounter with manatees-it was definitely just post-Katrina and we saw two near Sunset Point and my educated guess was that Katrina displaced them and sent em our way and not exactly sure how many years later that I had my second encounter with them. Pretty awesome but clumsy animals and I have heard they get nicked quite a bit by being so inquisitive plus not too nimble. After Katrina,I noticed signs warning boaters of their presence. Hope our info helps.

Mandevillian