Question: What Florida animal inspired early cooling/thermoregulation research?
Answer: The cold-intolerant Florida manatee.
Thermal refuges are habitats used by species for behavioral thermoregulation. These habitats are often influenced by fluctuations in local climate. When protected species require thermal refuges, it is necessary to identify stable and high-quality areas by evaluating species use in response to variation in thermal refuge quality. Scientists assessed behavioral thermoregulation in the Florida manatee, a cold-intolerant marine mammal.
