News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—January 2, 2025
Contact: media@savethemanatee.org, 407-539-0990

LONGWOOD, FL—A new manatee has been added to Save the Manatee Club’s popular Adopt-A-Manatee® program. Ester, a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, belongs to one of the longest manatee genealogies at Blue Spring State Park. Her lineage can be traced back to her grandmother, Emma, one of the original manatees at Blue Spring who was featured in Jacques Cousteau’s documentary, The Forgotten Mermaids. Ester herself was first identified in 1990 when she was observed nursing with her mother, Elaine, who has been part of the adoption program for many years but has not been seen at Blue Spring since 2013.

“Ester is a remarkable manatee with a fascinating history at Blue Spring,” said Wayne Hartley, SMC Manatee Specialist, who has been conducting the photo-ID research at Blue Spring for over 40 years and remembers all of Ester’s ancestors. “Like many manatees, she bears scars from watercraft encounters, which researchers use to identify and track her movements. Her resilience and long family history make her a wonderful addition to our adoption program, allowing us to connect more people with the manatees they love.”

Over the years, Ester has become a mother of 12 known calves, including Esso, who still winters at Blue Spring, and Echo, who gave birth to Ean in 2019, who then had a calf herself in 2023, making Ester a great-grandmother. Ester’s distinctive markings make her easy to recognize; she has a set of white scars just below her left shoulder and a chronic swelling, likely from a healed rib injury, as well as a scar near her upper right shoulder.

Ester’s mother, Elaine, stopped visiting Blue Spring in 2013, and her whereabouts are unknown, but Ester likes to hang out in the entire spring run and is oftentimes found resting with other large females on the North bank of the run where it is the sunniest. “We are excited to share her story with more people through the adoption program. The most exciting news is that Ester brought a new calf for this winter season, and the pair has been seen in the spring a lot,” says Cora Berchem, Director of Multimedia and Manatee Research Associate at Save the Manatee Club.

While Ester’s grandmother, Emma, starred in Jacques Cousteau’s famous documentary in the 1970s, Ester herself recently made her debut on national television when she was part of a segment featuring the Blue Spring research in Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, with the host exclaiming, “That is a BIG manatee!”

If you visit Blue Spring State Park during the winter, be sure to look for Ester. The park’s 72°F spring waters offer a natural warm winter refuge for manatees, attracting them year after year. Seeing Ester in her natural habitat not only highlights the beauty of manatees but also the challenges they face, including watercraft injuries.

Funds from the Adopt-A-Manatee® program directly support Save the Manatee Club’s mission to protect imperiled manatees and their habitat. This includes emergency rescues, rehabilitation care, and returning healthy manatees to their wild habitat, along with scientific research bolstered by public awareness, advocacy, and educational programs. To Adopt-A-Manatee® like Ester, 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).