FMNP Friends Group Monthly Programs

2^nd Tuesday of Month from 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

For All of the FMNP Friends Groups Statewide; Members Only

January 12, 2021 – Tuesday

“All About Manatees”

Cora Berchem

Director of Multimedia and Manatee Research from Save the Manatee Club

7:00 – 8:00 pm

• Join us via Zoom – no Zoom subscription necessary

• For FMNP Friends Group Members Only

• Is your membership current with us? If not, no worries! You can renew your membership by visiting the Friends of Pinellas Master Naturalists’ website at http://pinellasmasternaturalists.org/membership-application/.

• This month’s program is being hosted by the St Lucie Friends Group of FMNP

Program Summary:

All About Manatees will cover basic manatee facts, including diet, anatomy, habitat and reproduction. The presentation will also cover threats to manatees and what people can do to help as well as what Save the Manatee Club does to help. There will also be specific information on how manatee protections and how to spot and report sick or injured manatees.

Registration is Required and You Must be One of the FMNP Friends Group Members:

• Please register in advance for this meeting.

• Go to https://ufl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwudemtqzwiG9RiPuYFopMLCotMRBALcIiL to register.

• After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Speaker Biography:

Ms. Berchem oversees Save the Manatee Club’s live webcams, is involved in all sorts of video production work for the Club, and also maintains the Club’s social media sites. Cora was born and raised in Bonn, Germany, and moved to the United States in 2002. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from the College of New Jersey and a Master’s Degree in Film and Media from the J.W. Goethe University of Frankfurt/Germany.

Upon moving to Florida, Cora has become an Advanced Florida Master Naturalist through the University of Florida. Cora worked in film and television in New York City before becoming involved with manatees in 2013 when she made a feature-length documentary about Florida’s endangered gentle giants titled “Before It’s Too Late.” Cora did contract and volunteer work for Save the Manatee Club throughout 2014 before joining the staff in 2015.

Apart from multimedia work, Cora also assists with the manatee research at Blue Spring State Park and oversees the Manatee Observer Volunteer Program in the summer to prevent manatee harassment. Outside of work, Cora enjoys traveling, photography, and scuba diving.