Catherine Langtimm 1952-
Manatee Researcher
Catherine Langtimm of Gainesville, Florida, is a wildlife biologist. A wildlife biologist is a scientist who studies animals' lives and behavior. Langtimm works for the United States government. Part of her job is researching manatees in Florida.
Manatees are gentle, slow-moving mammals. They live in Florida's coastal waters. Because of damage to their environment and danger from speeding boats, manatees are endangered. That means they are in danger of dying off.
Langtimm does research about how long manatees live and how quickly they reproduce, or have babies. This helps the government keep track of the manatee population in Florida. Langtimm also studies possible causes of changes in the manatee population. Because of her work, people can make better decisions about how to protect manatees.
Critical Thinking
What is one effect of Langtimm's research on manatees?