For Immediate Release: January 27, 2004
Note to Media Organizations: A slide or a high resolution jpeg (300 dpi) of a manatee image and an electronic version of this press release are available upon request.

How about a BIG token of your appreciation this Valentine’s Day? Share your love by adopting a manatee for someone special through Save the Manatee Club (SMC). For just thirty-five dollars, each new member who joins the Adopt-A-Manatee program online will receive a manatee adoption packet and a free T-shirt, while supplies last, with the SMC logo on front and a unique design on back that shows manatees in a “laid-back” Florida setting. Also included is a personalized Valentine’s Day gift card and message. It’s a heartwarming expression that will last throughout the year and help protect an endangered species at the same time.

Manatees weigh an average of 1,000 pounds and measure 10 feet long or more. These large, slow-moving, aquatic mammals are known to have sweet dispositions and a curious nature. Manatees spend most of their time eating, resting, and traveling and can be found along the southeast coast of the United States. Warm water is crucial to this migrating species, and that is why manatees are located primarily in Florida in the winter months.

There are 29 manatees in SMC’s Adopt-A-Manatee program. Nineteen manatees live in the wild and migrate each winter to a natural warm water spring at Blue Spring State Park, near Orange City, FL. Five female manatees live permanently at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park in Homosassa, FL, and five manatees frequently seen in Tampa Bay and along the west coast of Florida are also available.

Some of the manatees in the adoption program at Blue Spring include Brutus, Lenny, Nick, Phyllis, and Paddy Doyle. Brutus is one of Blue Spring’s largest manatees, weighing in at almost 1,800 pounds. Lenny is often referred to as the “couch-potato” manatee as he prefers rest to other activities. Nick is affectionately known as “Crazy Nick,” because he has been known to head north when all the other manatees are heading south for the winter. Phyllis, a faithful visitor to Blue Spring, has given birth to twins, a rare event for manatees. Paddy Doyle bears the distinction of being one of the feistiest manatees in the Blue Spring area.

The manatees in the adoption program located at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park include Amanda, Ariel, Betsy, Rosie, and Lorelei. Amanda was rescued after suffering severe injuries from a motorboat propeller. Her daughters Ariel and Betsy are also in the Adopt-A-Manatee program. Rosie is a sweet, gentle manatee known for watching over young manatee orphans who come to reside at the park. Lorelei is gentle as well and is often seen resting with the other manatees.

Several manatees frequently seen in the Tampa Bay area and along the west coast of Florida can also be adopted. The manatees in the Tampa Bay program include Elsie, Flicker, Ginger, Jemp and Vector. Elsie is easily identified because her tail was badly mutilated from an encounter with a boat propeller. Flicker is a female manatee and has a series of small propeller scars that remind researchers of flickering flames. Ginger has been seen every summer since 1994 in the Marco Island area of Florida. Jemp travels a wide range of Florida’s west coast, and Vector is also a traveling man(atee)! He has been tracked as far north as the Suwannee River.

Approximately 3,000 manatees remain in the United States today, and they are listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. SMC’s Adopt-A-Manatee program helps to fund education and public awareness endeavors; research, rescue and rehabilitation projects; and advocacy and legal efforts to help protect manatees and their habitat. SMC was established in 1981 by U.S. Senator Bob Graham and singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett.

A manatee adoption packet includes an adoption certificate, an underwater photo, a biography of the adopted manatee, and a membership handbook with information and photos for the manatee enthusiast. A subscription to the Save the Manatee Club Newsletter is included and features updates on the adopted manatee throughout the year. As you can see, one of the sweetest ways of saying “I Love You” on Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to involve chocolate at all!

For more information on manatees, contact Save the Manatee Club at 500 N. Maitland Ave., Maitland, FL 32751 or call 1-800-432-JOIN (5646).

Get more information about manatees or the Adopt-A-Manatee program.

In addition, check out our manatee gift page. Proceeds from manatee gift items also go toward funding for SMC’s manatee conservation programs.