News

Adoptions directly support Save the Manatee® Club in its mission to protect imperiled manatees and their essential habitat.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE— February 22, 2024
Contact: media@savethemanatee.org, 407-539-0990

LONGWOOD, FL—With Mother’s Day just around the corner, Save the Manatee Club offers a unique and meaningful gift that celebrates every kind of mom while supporting the conservation efforts of these gentle giants. The Adopt-A-Manatee® program allows individuals to adopt a manatee, providing a personalized adoption certificate with a photo and a biography of a real living manatee. The best part? She won’t have to feed, house, or clean up after the new member of the family!

All manatees in the Adopt-A-Manatee program are living manatees studied by research teams in Florida. These magnificent marine mammals have known histories that are traced through female matriarchs. Unlike some animal species, manatees do not form permanent pair bonds, and males assume no responsibility for raising calves. Mother manatees give birth to calves about once every two to five years, following a gestation period of about 13 months. Calves stay with and nurse from their mothers for up to two years, during which time she teaches them about migratory routes, warm-water sources, and feeding grounds. The knowledge they learn from their mothers is crucial for their survival throughout their lives.

One of the manatees available for adoption is Aqua, a female manatee and a winter visitor to Blue Spring State Park in Orange City, Florida. Aqua has had a significant impact on the manatee community, giving birth to five calves throughout her time at the park. In 2018, she actually returned to the park with two calves, but the second was believed to be an orphan she “adopted” and cared for throughout the winter season. This isn’t unusual, as some manatee mothers will take in orphaned calves and care for them along with their own calves.

Manatee adoptions start at just $25, and each adoption also includes a one-year Save the Manatee Club membership, which provides a newsletter with updates on adoptable manatees and other important manatee information. For a limited time, adoptions at the $35 level or above will also include a special gift.

By participating in the Adopt-A-Manatee program, individuals directly support the Save the Manatee Club in its mission to protect imperiled manatees and their habitat. The funds raised help fund emergency rescue, rehabilitation, and release efforts, as well as education and public awareness programs.

This Mother’s Day, give a gift that makes a difference. Adopt-A-Manatee and show a mom your love while helping to protect these incredible marine mammals. Please order by Friday, April 26, 2024, for delivery by Mother’s Day.  To Adopt-A-Manatee, visit adoptamanatee.org or call 1-800-432-JOIN (5646).

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Save the Manatee Club, established in 1981 by the late renowned singer-songwriter, author, and entrepreneur Jimmy Buffett, along with the late former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham, is dedicated to safeguarding manatees and preserving their aquatic habitat. For more information about manatees and the Club’s efforts, visit savethemanatee.org or call 1-800-432-JOIN (5646).