Meet A Manatee: Flash
A shy guy, he will take off in a “flash”
anytime
he is disturbed.
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Wary of humans, Flash can be very elusive when people are looking for him. (Photo by Jim Reid, U.S. Geological Survey, Sirenia Project)
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Flash earned his name because he is an extremely shy manatee. He will take off in a “flash” anytime he is disturbed. Wary of humans, he can be very elusive when people are looking for him. One time he even disappeared for nearly two years running. But don’t worry – that story has a happy ending.
A male manatee who winters at Blue Spring State Park, near Orange City, Florida, Flash was first identified in 1977. That would put him somewhere in his 30s, which is about manatee middle age. In fact, researchers believe that manatees can live 60 years or more, although many animals never get to realize their estimated life expectancy.
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| The scars on Flash's back and tail are used by researchers to identify him. (Photo by Jim Reid, U.S. Geological Survey, Sirenia Project) |
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Flash is a very large manatee. That’s one way that researchers identify him. Sadly, another way is by the numerous scars he bears. Over the years, he has sustained a number of boat strike injuries across his back and tail. These injuries have healed, but the scars remain.
In the morning, the rangers at Blue Spring do a manatee “roll call” where they count and identify the manatees visiting the spring run. Ranger Wayne Hartley, who tracks the manatees at Blue Spring, says that Flash tends to evade roll call and keep to himself. Still, Ranger Wayne somehow manages to find him.
Once, he didn’t show up at Blue Spring for nearly two years however. Flash had been a regular visitor at Blue Spring State Park each year since he was first identified, so we couldn’t help but be worried.
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| Flash had been missing for two years, when Judith Vallee, former SMC Executive Director, spotted him looking just like this. (Photo courtesy Florida Department of Environmental Protection) |
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It has been documented that many manatees have preferred habitats they return to each year. But we also have to keep in mind that manatees are wild animals with individual behavior. Some manatees come late and leave early and, occasionally, certain manatees will skip a season at Blue Spring and winter at another warm water area. Still, it was hard not to be concerned while Flash was out on hiatus.
Then, just when we thought we couldn’t stand it any longer, Flash put in a very special appearance. Judith Vallee, then Executive Director of Save the Manatee Club, was out one day at Blue Spring in the research canoe with Ranger Wayne when she spotted a manatee who looked just like Flash in his adoption photo. When she commented on it to Ranger Wayne, he was pleased to see it was indeed the Flash! He had come back to Blue Spring at last.
Since that time, Flash has appeared every winter at Blue Spring. He usually shows up early for the winter season, often coming in ahead of the other manatees. Though he often keeps to himself, he does sometimes travel in and out for the season with other manatees. He has been spotted with Merlin, Lenny, Brutus, and Dana and, despite his timidity with humans, he’s been known to pester the female manatees.
See? We told you it would be a happy ending.
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| There he goes again! Flash exhibits his normal behavior. (Photo by Jim Reid, U.S. Geological Survey, Sirenia Project) |
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