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James Reid

Jim Reid is a Scientist Emeritus at WARC in Gainesville, FL.

Jim Reid's research interests included the use of GPS, Argos and VHF radio tracking techniques in field-based studies of manatees; seagrass mapping and characterization studies to assess benthic habitats; photo-identification and behavioral observations on individuals; cooperation in international studies of sirenians. From 1990 until his retirement in 2020, Reid was a Fish and Wildlife Biologist with the U. S Geological Survey's Sirenia Project. For the program, he coordinated the application of tagging and tracking systems for research on manatees in the US and Puerto Rico; managed the project’s program of GPS tags monitored through the satellite-based tracking system Service Argos; conducted assessments of marine habitats known to be essential for manatees accomplished by mapping nearshore habitats and seagrass characterization studies; acted as an investigator in radio tracking studies of manatees Everglades National Park, Atlantic coast of southeastern US, northern Gulf of Mexico, and Puerto Rico; acts as field staff for photography efforts at winter aggregation sites for the Manatee Individual Photo-Identification System (MIPS), a computerized database on recognizable manatees;  and collaborated with personnel from DOI, DOD, NGOs, and the Commonwealth. Reid's international research co-evolved with manatee researchers in other countries (Brazil, Bahamas, Mexico) to address manatee status, distribution, life history, and research techniques.