News

Winter Is Coming!

Volunteers and Save the Manatee Club staff attend the Crystal River Manatee Festival in 2023 and educate visitors on manatee-safe practices, help process adoptions, and raffle off a gift basket.
Volunteers and Save the Manatee Club staff attend the Crystal River Manatee Festival in 2023 and educate visitors on manatee-safe practices, help process adoptions, and raffle off a gift basket.

By Gina McClain, Volunteer Specialist

One of my responsibilities (and enjoyments) is giving manatee presentations, in person and virtually, to many kinds of organizations: schools, libraries, and various and varied clubs. Recently, I stood with the members of the Florida Chapter of the Sierra Club as we honored the legacy and impact of Jimmy Buffett. I felt great humility and pride in being part of our organization, which has done so much for manatees. As I presented the status of the Florida Manatee to these wonderful and caring people, I was reminded of just how much work we still must do.

Mark your calendars! November is not only Manatee Awareness Month, but also when events pick up:

In December, the manatees are in warm-water refugia, staying safe while we celebrate the holidays!

Happy New Year! We are back for our two largest events in January 2024:

Manatee season is nearly over, so enjoy some of these closing festivals in February 2024:

More Recent News

A manatee rescued by DISL and MRP partners from the cold Alabama waters in early January. Photo courtesy of Dauphin Island Sea Lab.

First Rescue of the Year is in Alabama

The 2024-25 winter was busy for the Dauphin Island Sea Lab/Manatee Sighting Network, with the highest number of stranded manatee responses in Alabama history!

Millie at a power plant in Ft. Lauderdale. Photo courtesy of FWC, taken under USFWS permit MA773494.

Several Coastal Adoptees Surface This Winter

After several slow months, several coastal adoptees made appearances throughout the state as they traveled to their warm-water refuges!

Several wild manatees swim at Homosassa Springs in the shadow of our above-water webcam. Photo courtesy of Kate Spratt, Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park.

The Ladies of Homosassa: Comfy in Their Heated Pools

The resident manatees have been spending the winter in their heated pools as wild manatees took refuge in the main spring.