Blue Spring Manatees

BRUTUS is one of Blue Spring's largest manatees. He weighs in at almost 1,800 pounds and has been a regular since 1970.

DANA was born in 1988 and stayed closed to her mother until she was weaned, two years later. Now she is very outgoing and playful.

DEEP DENT is a medium-sized male who first showed up at Blue Spring in 1979. He has a deep, "dent-like," propeller wound on his tail.

DOC has returned to Blue Spring every winter since 1976. He is an adult male, nearly ten feet in length. Doc is one of the few manatees frequently spotted in the spring in the summer.

ELAINE became the park's third female to calve at the age of five, during the 1990-91 season. She has been known to get into her fair share of mischief!

FLASH is a large male manatee first identified in 1977. He is shy of human contact and will take off in a "flash" when disturbed.

FLOYD was born in the summer of 1978 and  has spent every winter at Blue Spring State Park since birth. He is a "ham," often seen in films and magazines.

HOWIE is a sleek, large (1,350 pound) male, known to winter at the park since 1971. One of Howie's favorite activities is to tip the research canoe -- complete with researchers in it!

LENNY was born to Luna in 1978 and continues to winter at Blue Spring each year. Lenny is the resident "couch potato" manatee, preferring rest to all other activities.

LILY is one of the few adult females to regularly winter at the park. She has returned each year since 1974 and has five calves.

LUCILLE was born in 1980. Lucille had her first calf at an early age and, in 1993, she became a grandmother.

MARGARITO is the son of Lily, another Blue Spring manatee. She brought him to Blue Spring on November 24, 1984, and he has returned every winter since that time. He can be identified by a number of scars from boat hits and a missing right flipper.

MERLIN has been noted at the spring since 1970, when attendance records first began. His nickname is "Tail-End Charlie" as he often arrives late each year. An adult male, Merlin is over 10 feet in length.

NICK is a small adult male who was first identified in 1977. His movements have been tracked by radio telemetry, producing information on behavior such as going north, rather than south, in midwinter -- hence his nickname, "Crazy Nick."

PADDY DOYLE was named by researchers after the famous "fighting Irishman." He bears the distinction of being one of the fiestiest manatees in the Blue Spring area.

PHILIP was born in the summer of 1982. As a youngster, Philip was one of the most playful manatees at Blue Spring. He also seems to love canoes and follows the research canoe everywhere!

PHYLLIS is thought to have been born in 1985. In 1991, Phyllis gave birth to twins -- a rare event for manatees. She is now the mother of six calves. Her most recent calf was born in 2003!

ROBIN is a young male, born to Wonder Woman in April of 1980. Heis one of the few manatees who has a recorded birth date because his mother was being monitored by researchers when he was born.

TROY is a medium-sized male, easily recognized by a distinctive small hole in his tail. First notes in 1978, "Troy Boy" is a regular at Blue Spring and continues to return most winters.

WHISKERS is a male manatee who frequents Blue Spring in the winter. He is the son of Dana, another Blue Spring adoptee. She introduced him to Blue Spring in 1996, and he has been visiting the park ever since that time.