We Put a Camera on a Manatee’s Peduncle | National Geographic

I often get asked what the hardest

I often get asked what the hardest animal to get a critter came on has been

animal to get a critter came on has been

animal to get a critter came on has been it wasn’t a great white it wasn’t a blue

it wasn’t a great white it wasn’t a blue

it wasn’t a great white it wasn’t a blue whale turns out it’s the manatee this

whale turns out it’s the manatee this

whale turns out it’s the manatee this was a huge surprise not at all the

was a huge surprise not at all the

was a huge surprise not at all the animal I thought we would have trouble

animal I thought we would have trouble

animal I thought we would have trouble with big docile lumps they looked like

with big docile lumps they looked like

with big docile lumps they looked like unfinished play-doh animals and I just

unfinished play-doh animals and I just

unfinished play-doh animals and I just never thought before we got started that

never thought before we got started that

never thought before we got started that it would be so hard we tried to work

it would be so hard we tried to work

it would be so hard we tried to work from what we already knew about putting

from what we already knew about putting

from what we already knew about putting critter cams and other animals

critter cams and other animals

critter cams and other animals we tried suction cups which worked great

we tried suction cups which worked great

we tried suction cups which worked great on whales when the manatees skin is a

on whales when the manatees skin is a

on whales when the manatees skin is a little too rough it’s got little hairs

little too rough it’s got little hairs

little too rough it’s got little hairs on it and the cups just wouldn’t hold we

on it and the cups just wouldn’t hold we

on it and the cups just wouldn’t hold we eventually tried harnesses the first

eventually tried harnesses the first

eventually tried harnesses the first design we tried the manatees just took

design we tried the manatees just took

design we tried the manatees just took it off to head back to the drawing board

it off to head back to the drawing board

it off to head back to the drawing board and we actually circled back around to a

and we actually circled back around to a

and we actually circled back around to a design that researchers have been using

design that researchers have been using

design that researchers have been using to put satellite tags and radio tags on

to put satellite tags and radio tags on

to put satellite tags and radio tags on manatees for years it involves putting a

manatees for years it involves putting a

manatees for years it involves putting a belt around the peduncle yes I said

belt around the peduncle yes I said

belt around the peduncle yes I said peduncle you can look it up it’s a real

peduncle you can look it up it’s a real

peduncle you can look it up it’s a real word it’s the narrowest part body so we

word it’s the narrowest part body so we

word it’s the narrowest part body so we can put a belt around that section and

can put a belt around that section and

can put a belt around that section and it doesn’t have to be snug down tight

it doesn’t have to be snug down tight

it doesn’t have to be snug down tight because they can’t slip either way so in

because they can’t slip either way so in

because they can’t slip either way so in the end we ended up with the Dunkel belt

the end we ended up with the Dunkel belt

the end we ended up with the Dunkel belt and something like a fishing rod with

and something like a fishing rod with

and something like a fishing rod with camera