GAINESVILLE, Florida - The slow moving manatee is susceptible to fast moving boats, but Florida veterinarians and engineers believe they may have a way to prevent the collisions that threaten the endangered species.

Some 95 manatees died from boat collisions last year - only 3,000 of the large marine mammals, often called sea cows, are believed to survive in the wild.

Researchers at the University of Florida's colleges of Veterinary Medicine and Engineering have developed an acoustical system used to assess how manatees react when vocalizations from their brethren are taped and played back on underwater speakers.

Preliminary results show the technology has the potential to accurately pinpoint manatees' location. The researchers say this could lead to devices that would signal boaters that manatees are present, enabling them to adjust their speed on an as needed basis.

Manatees typically swim at three to five miles per hour and several slow speed zones have been set up to eliminate possible accidents, much to the chagrin of many Florida boaters.

Testing at Florida's Blue Spring and Homosasss Spring State Park, locations where manatees gather, has allowed the researchers to document how the animals react when vocalizations from other manatees are played to them via underwater speakers.

"We have found that animals vocalize more than originally thought in a quasi-captive environment," said Deke Beusse, director of the University of Florida's Marine Mammal Medicine Program. "We have also found that they increase vocalizations when the sounds of other manatees are played back to them."

The technology could ultimately be able to pick up the sounds manatees make through the use of hydrophones located in the channels of heavily used waterways - as soon as sounds are detected, broadcast vocalizations would immediately cease so that manatees would not suddenly head toward boat traffic.

"Then by alerting boaters, either through a blinking light or a radio signal, we could let them know where the manatees are, so that they can slow down or continue at normal speeds if manatees are not in the area," Beusse explained.

The next phase of the research team's work will involve testing in a large area within the Indian River on Florida's west coast.

Researchers will attempt to determine from what distance the manatee sounds can be detected and from what distance manatees can distinguish other manatee sounds.

"Then we will work out the technical aspects of warning boaters with lights, radio and through depth finders," Beusse said, adding that theoretically, various state agencies would determine the best locations for using the devices.