Manatee Research

Kerri Scolardi
  • 941-388-4441

Kerri Scolardi

Senior Biologist

Mrs. Scolardi began working at Mote Marine Laboratory (MML) in 1999 as a technician for the Marine Mammal Stranding Program and transferred to the Manatee Research Department in 2000. She is currently the Aerial Survey Coordinator and GIS Database Manager for the Manatee Research Program. While at MML, she has engaged in numerous research projects involving aerial and boat-based surveys of manatee distribution, manatee photo-identification, telemetry and behavioral studies with manatees, sea turtle abundance and distribution, and aerial and boat-based surveys of vessel traffic patterns. In addition, she has performed more than 400 hours of low-level marine mammal aerial surveys.

Education

1997 B.S. Marine Biology, Florida Atlantic University

2004 M.S. Marine Science, University of South Florida

Publications

Scolardi, K.M., L.H. Schwacke, J.K. Koelsch, J.E. Reynolds, III, T.J. Kessenich, J.M. Sprinkel, Janet G. Gannon. 2009. Trends in counts of manatees Trichechus manatus latirostris from 1987 to 2006 in waters of Sarasota County, Florida, USA. Endangered Species Research 9:1-11. Scolardi, K.M., K.L. Daly, E.A. Pakhomov, J.J. Torres. 2006. Feeding ecology and metabolism of the Antarctic cydippid ctenophore, Callianira antarctica. Marine Ecology Progress Series 317: 111-126.