DISL's Manatee Sighting Network

04/20/2026

Its time for another ✨Research Highlight✨ to celebrate citizen science month!! Today we're focusing on some of the work our Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network has done!! The ALMMSN was created in 2011! Since then the Carmichael lab team has been at the forefront of all marine mammal strandings in Alabama and has assisted in events across the coast from rescue operations to necropsies to better understand threats to marine mammals in our area and providing insight on potential threats to human health as well! Ever wonder about how many carcasses we may be missing (or our carcass detection rate)? Well so did we!! Check out the graphic below to learn about how we studied this using decoy dolphins!

Want to help us make a difference?
Join us for our Introductory Volunteer Training for Stranding Response THIS WEDNESDAY April 22, or support our mission by donating here: https://sealabfoundation.org/how_to_donate

04/17/2026

Last month our fearless leader, Dr. Carmichael, was the Plenary speaker at the Association of Southeastern Biologists Meeting!! She got to catch up with and meet a lot of students from all over, as well as some familiar faces from close to home (University of South Alabama!! Go Jags!)

04/16/2026

Its time for our first ✨Research Highlight✨ of the month to celebrate Citizen Science Month!! Today we're focusing on the Dauphin Island Sea Lab's Manatee Sighting Network!! Thanks to reports from people like YOU, we better understand manatee habitat use in the northern Gulf of Mexico from Texas through the Florida Panhandle and beyond! See the post below to see some fundamental studies we've published on the data you helped us collect!

You can see an interactive map of every manatee sighting reported to us on our website: https://www.disl.edu/research/marine-mammal-research-program/manatee/sightings

If you'd like to further help us spread the word about manatee presence, feel free to donate to our network here: https://www.disl.edu/research/marine-mammal-research-program/manatee/donate-and-shop/ (all proceeds support our local manatee education and outreach program)

04/14/2026

We had such a great time at the Management Conference last week🌊!! What a great time learning from others in the area and networking with those both new and well within the field 🩷 Sophia presented on some of her research into the reach of our manatee sighting network, perfectly timed within celebrating citizen science month!

04/12/2026

Thank you to for their recent donation of necessary equipment and supplies to our program! We (and the manatees!) appreciate it very much ♥️

04/11/2026

Another Discovery Day on the books. If you missed us, that’s ok. We will be back next year. !!

04/10/2026

‼️DISCOVERY DAY IS TOMORROW 10am - 2pm‼️

We can't wait to see you there!

04/07/2026

Did you know Discovery Day at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab is THIS SATURDAY 10am - 2pm🐳!? Its our open house event where you can explore real scientific laboratories 🐟, get some hands-on science lessons 🧪, and there's free children's admission to the Alabama Aquarium 🦀!! The Marine Mammal Research Program will also be conducting a necropsy that you can watch through our viewing window 🐬!! Come hang out with us this Saturday, April 11, 10am to 2pm. We can't wait to sea you there🌊!!

04/02/2026

April is Citizen Science Month 🌎!! All April we will be sharing what has come from our citizen science projects so far including research spotlights and some statistics we've gathered 🤓. But most importantly, all month we will be celebrating all of YOU who make these projects possible 💙!

04/01/2026

‼️NEW SPECIES ALERT‼️ Our team discovered a brand new marine mammal species right off our shores in the Gulf of Mexico, the Dolphatee... or would it be a Manaphin...? Comment what you think this new species should be named below! Oh... and happy April 💜

03/31/2026

The University Programs at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab is excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for our NSF-RaMP funded program BOATS 🌊🌿. BOATS is an NSF funded RaMP (Research and Mentoring for Post-baccalaureates) program that aims to provide the next generation of global change scientists with transformative research training and professional development - all while engaging them within a supportive academic network at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and beyond.

03/30/2026