Manatee and River Tours has recently been granted "Verifier" status by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and is currently under consideration for "Rescuer" status. Along with this authority comes responsibility. With sixteen years of close contact and firsthand knowledge, one of Manatee and River Tours most important missions is to develop better methods for retrieving injured manatees. If we can reduce rescue and transport trauma we can increase the injured manatee's chance of survival and recovery. The equipment pictured below is funded by Manatee and River Tours and donations to our cause and manned by our own volunteers.

In addition to these innovative ideas and creations, Manatee and River Tours donates its time, resources, and assistance, when called on, for search, rescue and retrieval efforts initiated by federal, state and local agencies dedicated to the protection and preservation of the manatee. Our efforts have produced a strong working relationship with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, as well as other environmentally concerned organizations. Because protection and preservation of these gentle giants is our main priority, we use our ecological tours to further the education and familiarization of the public and fund our efforts.