News

Millie Is Only Coastal Adoptee Seen This Summer

Adoptee Millie foraging in the Silver River. 
Photo courtesy of Gary Colgan, photographer.
Adoptee Millie foraging in the Silver River. Photo courtesy of Gary Colgan, photographer.

Coastal Adoption Update

By Cora Berchem, Director of Multimedia and Manatee Research Associate

Summer is always a slower time for manatee sightings and adoptee updates as manatees are more dispersed and travel freely through rivers, estuaries, and shallow coastal areas in search of food, socialization, and mating. Our partners did not have any sightings of Tampa Bay adoptees Jemp, Ginger, Elsie, Flicker, or Vector this summer, and East Coast adoptees Chessie, Illusion, and Zelda did not make an appearance either. The only dependable adoptee was once again Millie, who was seen in the Ocklawaha River near Moss Bluff Lock and Dam by our research partners from the Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute in July. Millie recently seems to enjoy spending her summers in the Silver and Ocklawaha rivers, which connect to the St. Johns River. Manatees can enter the system through the Buckman Lock; however, a free-flowing Ocklawaha River would make the passage for manatees much easier. Alongside our partners, we continue advocating to reunite the rivers and provide safer access for manatees like Millie.

More Recent News

Rescue volunteers and officials pull a giant net across a canal and drag it down the canal to corral entrapped manatees.

Multiple Manatee Rescues Following Hurricane Idalia

The Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Partnership stayed vigilant after Hurricane Idalia, assisting with rescues of displaced and stranded manatees.

An aerial image looking down shows manatees among swirling fish in the main Homosassa Spring on a cold winter morning.

Homosassa Springs Weathers The Hurricane Season

Park staff and manatee watch volunteers prepare for another manatee season at one of Florida’s most popular warm-water springs, Homosassa Springs.

An underwater photo shows Isla Bella swimming in Blue Spring with Kasper right next to her.

Adoptee Appearances At Blue Spring Drop Over Autumn

Many manatees were sighted this autumn at Blue Spring State Park, including three Save the Manatee Club adoptees!