Ph.D. Candidate in Marine Sciences, Florida International University
Aarin has worked with marine mammals since 2009, and has extensive experience from husbandry and training to strandings rescue and necropsy. His previous research has taken him from Florida to Central America studying marine mammals. He also has experience working as a scuba instructor and USCG-licensed captain.
His current research examines the drivers of resource selection in South Florida manatees, and their vulnerability to the decline of seagrass beds. Aarin also investigates how manatees, as large herbivores, influence ecosystem dynamics. Manatees feed on a diverse range of vegetation in both marine, brackish, and fresh water, and can impact the flow of nutrients between environments. Aarin’s previous work focuses on the selection, consumption, and breakdown of dietary items fed on by wild and captive manatees.