Adopt-A-Manatee®

Amanda was rescued on a brisk Christmas Day in 1973 after being hit by a boat’s propellor in Lake Worth Inlet along Florida’s southeastern coast. In addition, she had a small, luckily uninjured, calf with her. Amanda and her calf, named Ariel, were taken to the Miami Seaquarium, where they stayed for several years. In 1986, both were taken to their new home at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. The word “Homosassa” comes from the Seminole and Creek Indian languages and means “place where the wild peppers grow.” Holly bushes, called peppers by the Native Americans, used to grow along the Homosassa River. Here, staff and volunteers would describe Amanda in three words: “assertive, extroverted, and impressive!” She would also become known as a fantastic mother, giving birth to three other calves: Savannah, Star, and Betsy.

Amanda weighed in at about 2,500 pounds, much larger than the average wild manatee weight of 1,200 pounds. She was a bit TOO large, and her caretakers tried various methods to shed some pounds off the manatees at the park. In the past, during educational programs, Amanda made her appetite known by using her face to splash water and using her prehensile lips (think of an elephant’s trunk and how it can grab objects) to “grab” at the air, hoping eventually that a carrot or other treat would be placed in her mouth. While she made visitors laugh, her permanent scars from her watercraft injury served as a poignant reminder of the daily dangers faced by wild manatees.

Amanda died on August 16, 2011, during a medical procedure. She was loved by many adoptive parents, manatee researchers, and SMC staff. Known for being sweet and affectionate, Amanda was frequently spotted resting with Rosie or her daughters, Ariel and Betsy. Thank you so very much for choosing to care about Amanda and all manatees through this memorial adoption. Save the Manatee Club remains grateful to you, and we are honored to serve as your voice for manatees and their imperiled habitat.