A new truck for the manatees!
Today the Sea to Shore Alliance received a brand new truck for the manatees. The seventeen thousand U.S.D. truck and its trailer will be used to transport manatees. The manatee man, Jamal Galves, says that the current transportation being used is not always able to carry large manatees – so there is need for the new wheels. They called out the media to the ribbon cutting this afternoon where donor partners British High Commission, PACT and MARFUND also spoke with reporters. Here’s more:
Jamal Galves, Program Coordinator, Clearwater Marine Research Institute
Jamal Galves
“Acquiring these assets are critical for our efforts as you guys know we work with very large marine mammals. We were able to safely secure a smaller truck through the support of Bowen & Bowen but sadly the truck has been outgrown by the manatees as you have seen over the past few years. These animals goes up to 1000 to 1200 pounds. So we needed a truck that can take much more load. This truck isn’t for an everyday use, its mainly, only for the rescue of manatees. So it is not used to pay bills or to do educational awareness; that’s why we have our smaller trucks to do those things. So this truck will mainly only for transporting or critical care manatees across the country. Like we mentioned it requires care, it requires to be kept up to date and we do have supporters that fund those kinds of things.”
Claire Evans
Claire Evans, UK High Commissioner to Belize
“The High Commission sponsors a number of projects every year. We’ve particularly focused on conservation for this year. So Sea to Shore Alliance was one of the projects that we really liked,. So we were happy to put some financial support behind it. But the other thing that is important is putting the support that gets the message out there and that’s what it is great to talk to all of you today. So we can get the message out there of how good this work is, how much support they need and also just commitment, people to learn more about the manatees and the problems that we cause them with our boats, with our own behavior.”
Darel Audinette, Conservation Investment Manager, PACT
Darel Audinette
“This time around they came to us to with a request for 20,000 dollars to again co-finance the purchase of this vehicle to assist in advancing their work, manatee conservation. So when they came to us we went through our processes and of course the result today is the inauguration of that vehicle.”
Angeline Valentine Enriquez
Angeline Valentine Enriquez, Belize Marine Fund Programme Rep, MARFUND
“We found it very important to contribute and support to such a worthy cause as the conservation of our manatees,. As you know manatees in Belize is a household name and there I a sense of pride and ownership by the people of Belize as it relates to our manatee population. Unfortunately these animals have been quite severely impacted and so it’s important that we work with our collaborators and our partners, including entities like the Protected Areas Conservation Trust who is a founding member of the Mesoamerica Reef Fund in protecting and conserving this very important species.”
