Symbolically adopt or renew an adoption of a real manatee for yourself or as a gift starting at as little as $25 per year! Each adoption includes a personalized certificate, a biography of the manatee chosen, a membership handbook, and quarterly updates in our newsletter, The Manatee Zone. Adoptions at higher levels are also eligible to receive a gift, with exact options varying depending on the level. Funds from the Club’s Adopt-A-Manatee® program go toward efforts to help protect imperiled manatees and their aquatic habitat. Unlike other animal adoption programs, the manatees in our program are real, living manatees with known histories. To see the manatees in the adoption program, click the blue “Adopt or Renew Online” box below.
Adopt-A-Manatee at any level and Get:
- A certificate of adoption and a biography of a real Florida manatee.
- A membership handbook containing manatee facts, viewing locations and guidelines, and other educational information.
- The Manatee Zone, our official quarterly Club newsletter, featuring updates on the adopted manatees and other manatee news.
- Other organization and manatee updates by email, including our eNewsletter, Paddle Tales (when an email address is provided).
- A free Membership Gift can be included with memberships at the Friend Level or above.
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Use the navigation below to view manatees available in each region. You can click the manatee’s name in the paragraph under their photo to get more information about them. No matter which manatee you choose to adopt, adopting one helps them all.
Alabama | Blue Spring State Park | East Coast
The Florida Keys | Homosassa Springs State Park | West Coast
In Memoriam
Blue Spring State Park:
Blue Spring manatees, though wild, are spotted frequently at the spring during the winter and sometimes during the summer. Sightings updates are included in a blog from our researchers, as well as in our quarterly newsletter, The Manatee Zone, and bi-monthly enewsletter, Paddle Tales. We also have webcams at the park that are typically active from November to March where adoptees can occasionally be spotted.
Annie
Annie was rescued as an orphaned calf and was released in 2008. She is not shy and is quite popular with park visitors. Annie has been known to visit Blue Spring State Park in the winter.
Aqua
Aqua was first sighted at Blue Spring in December 2011 and has been a regular winter visitor since that time. She is identified by the scars on her left shoulder and has had four known calves.
Brutus
Brutus is one of Blue Spring’s largest manatees. He weighs in at almost 1,900 pounds and has been a regular winter visitor since 1970.
Deep Dent
Deep Dent is a medium-sized male who first showed up at Blue Spring State Park in 1979. He has a deep, “dent-like,” propeller wound on his tail.
Doc
Doc has returned to Blue Spring State Park nearly every winter since 1976. He is an adult male, nearly 10 feet in length. Doc is one of the few manatees frequently spotted in the spring in the summer.
Flash
Flash is a large male manatee first identified in 1977 at Blue Spring State Park. He is shy of human contact and will take off in a “flash” when disturbed.
Floyd
Floyd was born in the summer of 1978. He is easily identified by the park’s rangers because of an old injury that left him with only half a tail.
Gator
Gator was first identified in 2011 at Blue Spring State Park. He has been spotted on the webcam chasing and playing with an alligator at the park. That’s how he got his name!
Howie
Howie is a sleek, large (1,350-pound) male, known to winter at Blue Spring State Park since 1971. One of Howie’s favorite activities is to tip the research canoe — complete with researchers in it!
Lenny
Lenny was born to Luna in 1978 and continues to winter at Blue Spring State Park each year. Lenny is the resident “couch potato” manatee, preferring rest to all other activities.
Lily
Lily is one of the few adult females to regularly winter at the Blue Spring State Park. She has returned each year since 1974 and has at least ten calves.
Lucille
Lucille was born in 1980. Lucille had her first calf at an early age and, in 1993, she became a grandmother. Lucille regularly winters at Blue Spring State Park.
Margarito
Margarito is the son of Lily, another Blue Spring manatee. She brought him to Blue Spring State Park on November 24, 1984, and he has returned every winter since that time.
Merlin
Merlin has been noted at Blue Spring State Park 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.
Moo Shoo
Moo Shoo is a female manatee first identified in 2010, Moo Shoo loves to nudge the research canoe. She has had four calves.
Nick
Nick is a small adult male who was first identified in 1977 at Blue Spring State Park . 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
Paddy Doyle was named by researchers after the famous “fighting Irishman.” He bears the distinction of being one of the feistiest manatees in the Blue Spring State Park area.
Philip
Philip was born in the summer of 1982. As a youngster, Philip was one of the most playful manatees at Blue Spring State Park. He also seems to love canoes and follows the research canoe everywhere!
Phyllis
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 several calves and a regular winter visitor to the park.
Rocket
Rocket is a male manatee, rescued as a tiny orphan in 2006. He was released with Annie at Blue Spring State Park, and they stayed together for over a year.
Una
Una was rescued as an orphan in 2003. She was released and gave birth to several calves. Unfortunately, Una was rescued again because of fishing line entanglement on both flippers. Following treatment, she is once again doing well in the wild.
Whiskers
Whiskers is a male manatee who frequents Blue Spring State Park in the winter. He is the son of Dana, a former Blue Spring adoptee. She introduced him to Blue Spring in 1996, and he has been visiting the park ever since that time.
Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park:
Ariel and Betsy are permanent residents at the park and can be visited at any time of the year. During the summer they can be seen on our webcams at the park with other manatees in rehabilitation. An adoption update on the Homosassa Springs manatees is included in our quarterly newsletter, The Manatee Zone.
Ariel
Ariel was just two weeks old when she was rescued with her mom Amanda. She lives at the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. She is a regular at the manatee education programs, lifting her head out of the water to “smile” at the visitors.
Betsy
Betsy was named after Betsy Dearth, who was a ranger at the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. Betsy the manatee is very friendly and curious and is quick to investigate anything new. Ranger Dearth called her, “the inspector.”
Tampa Bay:
Manatees who are known to winter near Tampa Bay are sighted intermittently and their behavior is more unpredictable. Sightings are provided as we get information from our partners in our quarterly newsletter, The Manatee Zone, however there may be significant gaps between updates.
Elsie
Elsie is easily identified because her tail is badly mutilated from an encounter with a boat propeller. She has been seen in the Tampa Bay area and has had at least two calves. Once, Elsie was documented traveling a distance of about 111 miles in about 23 days.
Flicker
Flicker is an adult female first documented in 1983 in Ft. Myers. She is named Flicker because she has a series of small propeller scars that reminded researchers of flickering flames. Flicker has been seen at Tampa Electric’s Big Bend power plant in Apollo Beach each winter.
Ginger
Ginger frequents the west coast of Florida, south of Tampa Bay. She is known to winter at the FPL plant in Tice, Florida, and was often seen in the summer around Marco Island. Ginger has two known calves. One of them is named Ale!
Jemp
Jemp was rescued in 1995, after being exposed to red tide. He spent some time in rehabilitation and was released later that year. Jemp is known to frequent the Sarasota and Lemon Bay areas, but he also travels in a wide range along Florida’s west coast.
Vector
Vector is a traveling man(atee) and has been known to frequent the Tampa Bay area and along Florida’s west coast. He has been tracked in Florida as far north as the Suwannee River and as far south as the Peace River.
East Coast:
Like our Tampa Bay adoptees, Manatees who are known to winter along the east coast are sighted intermittently and their behavior is more unpredictable. Sightings are provided as we get information from our partners in our quarterly newsletter, The Manatee Zone, however there may be significant gaps between updates.
Chessie
Chessie was first sighted in the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland in July of 1994. This rare manatee sighting created quite a stir. By October of that year, after it was determined that he was not going to head south on his own, Chessie was rescued and flown back to Florida so he wouldn’t die from cold stress. Chessie has been known to travel along the east coast of Florida and the southeastern coast of the U.S.
Illusion
Illusion was rescued in March 2010 after a terrible boat strike. After being released, she is often seen at the FPL Riviera Beach power plant in the winter and along the east coast of south Florida.
Millie
First identified in 1980, Millie is one of the largest manatees ever recorded. She is a traveler with a long sighting history along Florida’s southeast coast. Millie has had several calves and is also a grandmother!
Alabama:
Sightings of manatees in Alabama typically occur during the summer months when waterways are warm enough to allow manatees to travel. Updates are provided by Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s Manatee Sighting Network for our quarterly newsletter, The Manatee Zone, though we may periodically receive an update from a winter refuge in Florida.
Bama
Bama made history in September 2009 when she became the first manatee ever captured and tagged in Alabama waters by Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s Manatee Sighting Network. Now a local attraction in Mobile Bay in the spring and summer, Bama has migrated from Alabama to Crystal River, Florida each winter.
The Florida Keys:
Zelda
Zelda is a manatee who has been sighted in recent years in the Florida Keys. She was given her name because the scar on her back reminded researchers of the letter “Z.”
In Memoriam Adoptions:
The manatees on this list have passed away, however adoptions are still available in their memory.
Georgia
Georgia was a favorite Blue Spring State Park manatee who passed away in 2015. She was a wonderful and caring mother for her own calves and also for orphans in need of care.
Ilya
Known to researchers for 15 years before he decided to travel outside Florida, in the summer of 2009, he went all the way to Cape Cod, Massachusetts before being rescued from chilly waters near New Jersey in October 2009. Ilya passed away in July 2018 after he sustained fatal injuries from a watercraft collision in the Florida Keys.
Lorelei
Lorelei was born in 1975. She was the first manatee born and raised under human care in Florida and was mother to three calves. Lorelei passed away peacefully on April 23, 2018.
Lesley
Lesley suffered a boat hit in 2015. She needed several surgeries and nearly three years in rehabilitation to recover from her injuries. She passed away in February 2023.
Rosie
Rosie was a favorite manatee who lived at the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park and passed away in 2015. Rosie was known for being gentle, kind, and maternal. Affectionately called “the matriarch” by the park staff, she served as a surrogate mother to many orphaned or injured manatees who recuperated at the park.
Electra
Electra was rescued in 1998 after suffering trauma from a boat strike and entanglement in a crab trap. She was the smallest manatee living at the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, but in spite of her size, park staff said that Electra was spunky and liked to follow her own path.
Success
Success received her name because she was the first “successful” calf for Sweetgums. She was a proud mother four times and became a grandmother in 1993. Success was last seen February 24, 2000 at Blue Spring State Park and likely passed away sometime in 2000.
Call toll-free within the U.S. 1-800-432-JOIN (5646) or call 407-539-0990 outside the U.S. Our office is open on weekdays from 8:30AM to 4:30PM Eastern Time Zone (US).
To join our Adopt-A-Manatee program or renew your current adoption, please click on the application link, print the form, and send to the address below with a check, money order, or credit card information.
Adopt-A-Manatee Application and List of Manatees Available for Adoption
Mail To:
Save the Manatee Club
533 Versailles Dr., Suite 100
Maitland, FL 32751
USA
Get More Info:
Blue Spring State Park:
Blue Spring State Park‘s natural spring maintains a year-round temperature of 72 degrees and is an attractive winter refuge for manatees who seek the spring waters when the surrounding river water temperatures become cold.
Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park:
Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park in Homosassa, Florida is a rehabilitation facility for manatees who are recovering from injuries before being released back into the wild. Manatees who cannot be released into the wild because of injuries or other life-threatening reasons currently call the park their home.
Tampa Bay:
Manatees frequently seen in the Tampa Bay area and along the west coast of Florida are also up for adoption. These manatees have a known history because they have been followed over the years by researchers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Several of these manatees winter at the warm water discharge area of Tampa Electric Company’s (TECO) Big Bend Power Station.
East Coast:
In the summer, when water temperatures are warmer, manatees travel freely around Florida’s rivers and coastal waters. Some manatees travel outside of Florida, and one manatee gained fame when he was documented as having traveled to the northeastern part of the United States. His name is Chessie, and his movements are followed by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Sirenia Project, an agency that tracks manatees along the U.S. East Coast.
Alabama:
Summer sightings of manatees in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina have been common during the summer months. Bama is currently the only northern adoptee in our Adopt-A-Manatee program. She has been spotted in Alabama’s waterways most summers since 2009. Updates about Bama are provided to SMC by Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s Manatee Sighting Network in Alabama.
Adopt-A-Manatee Membership Materials
Annual Membership Levels
- Associate ($25)
- Friend ($35)
- Sponsor ($75)
- Guardian ($100)
- Steward ($500 and up)
All levels of membership receive
- An adoption certificate and biography of “your” manatee.
- A 28-page membership handbook with information on manatees.
- The Manatee Zone, Save the Manatee Club’s newsletter, which is sent four times a year. The newsletter features updates on manatees in the adoption program from manatee researchers.
- Paddle Tales, our bi-monthly eNewsletter, which includes current manatee news, great photos and video, manatee features, activities, and special offers and events. And, we’ll answer your questions about manatees.
- A Membership Gift free with memberships at the Friend Level or above.
Note: All amounts in U.S. dollars. Please assist us in covering shipping costs; international orders increase our shipping costs by about $15 USD.
For a $20 annual membership, you will receive
- An adoption certificate and biography of “your” manatee.
- A 38-page educator’s guide.
- A four-color “Sirenians of the World” poster.
- An 8-page coloring and activity book (for elementary educators).
- The Manatee Zone newsletter.
- Paddle Tales, the monthly eNewsletter.
Note: All amounts in U.S. dollars. Please assist us in covering shipping costs; international orders increase our shipping costs by about $15 USD.
Your Support Will
- Fund manatee rescue, rehabilitation, and research efforts in the U.S. and the Wider Caribbean
- Support manatee education and public awareness projects
- Protect manatees and their habitat through advocacy and legal action
You can also become a grass roots activist for manatees and join volunteer efforts to help protect them!
Get more information on our activities and programs.
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Questions?
Send us an email at membership@savethemanatee.org or call us toll free at 1-800-432-JOIN (5646).