Give the BIGGEST Easter Surprise of All!
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Sisters Mackenzie (left) and Mariah hold up information on their adopted manatees, Flicker and Ginger, from the Tampa Bay SMC Adopt-A-Manatee program. (Photo courtesy of Kelly McNair.)
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For further information, contact Janice Nearing,
Director of Public Relations
Phone: (407) 539-0990
E-mail: jnearing@
savethemanatee.org
Note: A high resolution jpeg (300 dpi) of a manatee image, as well as a photo of The McNair family, are available upon request.
For Immediate Release
Flash back to Easter morning, 2008 – Mariah and Mackenzie McNair from Michigan marvel at the manatee gift adoptions that their grandmother, Linda Young, has sent to each of them from Florida.
“It’s not something everyone has,” explained Linda as to why she chose to adopt manatees for her granddaughters last Easter. Linda selected two female manatees who frequent the Tampa Bay area, Ginger and Flicker, from Save the Manatee Club’s Adopt-A-Manatee program. “Both manatees had calves, which the girls really liked,” she said.
The $25 tax-deductible gift adoptions include an adoption certificate with a color photo of a real, live Florida manatee, biography, membership handbook, a subscription to the Club’s official quarterly newsletter, The Manatee Zone, with updates on the manatee adoptees, and the bi-monthly e-newsletter, Paddle Tales. Or for $35, each new member who joins the Adopt-A-Manatee program online also receives a plush manatee. Shipping is free.
Linda, who resides with her husband in Parrish, Florida, has an appreciation for the gentle, endangered marine mammals. “I think they’re beautiful creatures,” she said. “They deserve to live in the waterways free from harm, and I wish more people would help give them that chance.”
Manatee mortality data from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shows a total of 337 manatee deaths in 2008. The manatee population is around 3,800. Last year had the third highest number of manatee deaths from boat strikes (90 manatees) since record-keeping began. “With the number of manatee deaths from watercraft so high, it is imperative we do all we can to protect the places that are crucial to the manatee’s very survival,” said Patrick Rose, Executive Director of Save the Manatee Club.
Funds from Save the Manatee Club’s gift adoptions help support ongoing efforts to increase public awareness and education and to aid with manatee research, rescue and rehabilitation efforts, and advocacy and legal action. Legendary singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett co-founded Save the Manatee Club, a national nonprofit advocacy organization in 1981, along with former Florida Governor and U.S Senator, Bob Graham.
“The Club does very important work to help the manatees by getting people involved and keeping them informed,” added Linda.
There are 32 real live manatees to choose from in the Club’s three Florida Adopt-A-Manatee program locations which include Blue Spring State Park near Orange City, Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park in Homosassa, and in the Tampa Bay area. View them all on the Club’s website. This year, say “Happy Easter” with a real live manatee adoption!
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