News

Sightings Update: February 2025

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By Cora Berchem, Director of Multimedia and Manatee Research Associate

Manatee Season at Blue Spring started in full force in late November and we have had many exciting adoptee sightings since! We have also already recorded over 70 new calves and possibly a record amount of manatees returning from previous seasons. All adoptees except for Annie, Lenny, and Lucille have been seen at Blue Spring, though Annie has been seen at another site by fellow researchers. Unfortunately, this is the third season that Lucille has not been seen and, although we are still looking for her, we are worried about her. Lenny may still show up at another site, so we will keep our eyes out when we compare photos with other researchers.

As always, you can watch manatees live on our webcams at ManaTV.org and read our daily blog updates on our website and social media.

Blue Spring Sightings

Aqua brought in a new calf this season! The pair has been seen numerous times in the spring, and usually Aqua is accompanied by other juveniles as well. Here she is taking a nap on January 6, 2025.
Aqua and her calf were seen traveling through the protected sanctuary of Blue Spring on December 8, 2024.
Our above-water webcam recorded Deep Dent traveling towards the St. Johns River on December 27, 2024.
Doc’s first season visit was on December 3, 2024.
On January 1, 2025, we added Ester to our adoption program! She is the daughter of long-term adoptee Elaine (who has not been seen since 2013). Ester brought in a new calf this season and the pair has been at the park a lot.
Ester and her calf were seen on our above-water webcam at Blue Spring on December 14, 2024.

In case you missed it: Ester also made an appearance on national television on November 30 on Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom! You can watch the episode online on NBC’s website. (external link)

Floyd, easily recognizable by his half-missing tail, was spotted on our webcams on December 8, 2024.
Always easy to identify, Gator has made a number of roll calls this season. This photo was taken on December 1, 2024.
Gator was seen on our above-water webcam swimming through a large aggregation of manatees on December 8, 2024.
Lily was featured in a large aggregation on January 8, 2025.
Merlin participated in a big cavorting group that went right by our webcam on December 29, 2024.
Paddy Doyle was also spotted on our above-water webcam on January 4, 2025, as he was shaking off some pesky armored catfish before going back to napping.
Phyllis and her calf, alongside an entourage of juvenile manatees, also went by our underwater webcam in early January.
Whiskers also prefers the upper part of the spring run, where he likes to rest. We photographed him on January 16, 2025.

East Coast and Florida Keys Sightings

In addition to our Blue Spring adoptees, we also got word from our partners from FWC that Illusion was sighted at the Manatee Lagoon in Riviera Beach in early January.
A citizen sighted adoptee Zelda in Key West in late December. It looks like she has a little calf!

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