Manatee Season Blog

Wayne Hartley, Manatee Specialist, and Cora Berchem, Director of Multimedia and Manatee Research Associate, take "roll call" on a cold winter morning at Blue Spring State Park. Photo courtesy David Schrichte.

Manatee Sighting Blog

March 26, 2026

Thursday, March 26, 2026

The river was up to 71.2°F (21.8°C) and the manatee count dropped to two. They came to greet me at the canoe beach as I launched the research canoe and were gone by the time I finished the count but had been replaced by one new manatee that was resting close to the canoe beach. None were adoptees. One turkey was walking around in the parking lot – usually we see them in a flock, but only one today.

Lily, the oldest female manatee at Blue Spring, is still reliable when it comes to attending the morning roll call. We took this photograph of her on November 30, 2024.

Manatee Sighting Reports: 2024 – 2025

April 1, 2025

Get the daily manatee sightings reports from our Blue Spring researchers for the 2024–2025 winter season.

Annie was the first adoptee to arrive for the season on November 6. Our research team photographed her on November 7.

Manatee Sighting Reports: 2023 – 2024

March 29, 2024

Get the manatee sighting reports from our Blue Spring researchers for the 2023-2024 winter season.

Rocket is always a bit shy and likes to take off when he sees the research canoe. He arrived for the season on December 21!

Manatee Sighting Reports: 2022 – 2023

March 23, 2023

Get the manatee sighting reports from our Blue Spring researchers for the 2022-2023 winter season.

Howie first showed up on November 8, 2021. His visits have been consistent with the chillier weather. Here he is on January 5, 2022.

Manatee Sighting Reports: 2021 – 2022

May 4, 2022

Get the manatee sighting reports from our Blue Spring researchers for the 2021-2022 winter season.

Aqua the manatee swimming while her calf nurses from under her flipper

Manatee Sighting Reports: 2020 – 2021

May 18, 2021

Get the manatee sighting reports from our Blue Spring researchers for the 2020-2021 winter season.

Manatee Phyllis and her calf surfacing for a breath.

Manatee Sighting Reports: 2019 – 2020

March 11, 2020

Get the manatee sighting reports from our Blue Spring researchers for the 2019-2020 winter season.

An underwater photo of manatee Aqua and her calf at Blue Spring State Park.

Manatee Sighting Reports: 2018 – 2019

April 23, 2019

Get the manatee sighting reports from our Blue Spring researchers for the 2018-2019 winter season.

A photo showing one manatee close to the camera, a manatee just behind surfacing for air, and another manatee swimming toward the first.

Manatee Sighting Reports: 2017 – 2018

April 18, 2018

Get the manatee sighting reports from our Blue Spring researchers for the 2017-2018 winter season.

Manatee Amber and her calf swimming through Blue Spring.

Manatee Sighting Reports: 2016 – 2017

July 11, 2017

Get the manatee sighting reports from our Blue Spring researchers for the 2016-2017 winter season.