Flash was ‘posing’ for the camera during roll call on December 17.
By Cora Berchem, Director of Multimedia and Manatee Research Associate
We saw the first cold front at Blue Spring in early November. After that, it started to warm up a bit, but another big cold front hit around New Year’s and again in January. By January 1, we had seen most of the adoptees. Here are some new photos and videos!
More Blue Spring Adoptee Sightings
Brutus, one of our oldest manatees at Blue Spring was seen resting on January 6, 2026.Una arrived early for the season and we are happy to report she currently does not have any entanglements on her flipper! Here she is on December 17, 2025.
Aqua was seen swimming by our underwater webcam on January 3.Whiskers likes to hang out in the upper part of the spring run. He was seen snoozing on December 11.Howie was one of the first adoptees to arrive for the season. Here he is during roll call on December 17.Lily joined Howie during roll call on December 17.December 17 was a big day for adoptees as Philip was also spotted that day.
Phyllis was seen going by our underwater webcam in early January.
Gator was spotted resting in a large aggregation on January 4.Ester ‘posed’ for her portrait on January 23.Flash was ‘posing’ for the camera during roll call on December 17.Usually one of our most photogenic manatees, adoptee Aqua was hiding in the murk close to the canoe beach on January 4.Moo Shoo was seen swimming by the research canoe on December 18.
Brutus was seen on our above water webcam on January 5.Phyllis doesn’t have a calf this season so she is not in the spring as often as last year, but here she is on December 18.Margarito prefers to hang out in the murkier water close to the river in groups of dozens of other manatees making it difficult to get good pictures of him. Here he is on January 6.
Moo Shoo swam by our underwater webcam scratching her face with her flipper on December 9.
Philip drifted down the spring run on December 16.Deep Dent was seen resting on a log during roll call on December 12.Gator can be found all over the spring run, although we have not spotted him with an alligator this season! Here he is on January 15.
Nick was spotted both on our above- and underwater cameras in December.
Flash also made appearances on both of our webcams!Floyd was resting in a big aggregation of fellow manatees on January 22.Doc kept us waiting the longest, but finally showed up on January 4.
Merlin made his first season visit on January 1st, but evaded photography until mid-January. Here he is snoozing on January 21.
Lily was spotted in a large aggregation on our above water webcam on January 13.
During the cold fronts, several adoptees went by our underwater webcam. Can you tell who is who?
Researcher Update
Back in 2009 a Blue Spring manatee named “Della” (not an adoptee) was injured and rescued near Palatka, Florida. Shortly after she was brought to Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park for rehabilitation and while there she gave birth to calf “Pal.” They were released together when Della was well, along with an orphaned calf, named “Kee” she nursed while in rehab. Since Pal had no identifying scars, he was lost track of. Della, Pal, and Kee were all PIT-tagged (microchipped) before release so they could be identified should they ever be picked up again.
During the 2010–2011 winter season, a young manatee with a large tail mutilation arrived at Blue Spring and SMC Manatee Specialist Wayne Hartley gave him the name “Sharkbite.” Sharkbite has been a loyal winter visitor ever since. Unfortunately, the day after Christmas, we got the sad news that a deceased manatee had been picked up near Astor, Florida, and we identified him as Sharkbite. Interestingly, we were informed by our partners from FWC that he had a PIT tag! The database showed that Sharkbite turns out to be Della’s long-lost calf named Pal! So Pal had been with us at Blue Spring all along. Della and Kee are still using Blue Spring during the winter and both continue to have calves.
On a recent cold January morning, we had the pleasure of meeting 7-year-old Avery and her family from Georgia at Blue Spring State Park!
Ocklawaha River Advocacy Update
February 1, 2026
The Florida legislative session is in full swing, and Save the Manatee Club is actively engaged, advocating beneficial policies and funding for manatees and their habitat.
Volunteer Spotlight: Avery Dall
February 1, 2026
After joining the Disney College Program, Avery discovered her passion for advocating for manatees. Read more about Avery’s volunteer story, her favorite moments from volunteering, and which adopted manatee she has.
