November is Manatee Awareness Month, an annual month-long dedication to manatees and their conservation in Florida and beyond. Former Florida Governor Bob Graham first declared November as Manatee Awareness Month in 1979, when the state began designating manatee protection zones in areas where manatees gather during the winter. November is typically when manatees return to Florida’s warmer waters from their summer migratory routes.

This year, Save the Manatee Club invites the public to celebrate and safeguard imperiled manatees all month long. Public awareness is a key component of our mission to protect manatees. Boaters, students, and anyone who cares about manatees and healthy aquatic habitat all play a pivotal role in their protection when they learn and spread the word to others.

Be sure to check our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages for additional activities. During Manatee Awareness Month, we will be giving away a free 2022 manatee wall calendar on our social media. And register for our free webinar on November 16th: How to Spot a Sick and Injured Manatee.

Featured Video

Encountering a manatee in the wild can be an awesome experience! But there are some things to consider and rules to follow to make this an enjoyable experience for both you AND the manatee!
Enjoy our short video to learn more!

 

Topic and Event Schedule

We’ll be adding new videos, webpages, and activities, so please check back!

Week of November 1st: Fun Facts About Manatees

Save the Manatee 5K t-shirt, bib, and finisher's medal.
Virtual 5K for Manatees: Join the Fun! Click the photo above for more info and to sign up.
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Week of November 8th: Manatee Migration and Habitat

Learn About Manatees Virtually

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Week of November 15th: Threats to Manatees

Manatee eating eelgrass.
Manatees are herbivores and depend on both marine and freshwater aquatic vegetation for food. Seagrass losses on Florida’s east coast led to a devastating number of manatee deaths in 2021.
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Week of November 22nd: How You Can Help Protect Manatees

Lesley the manatee
Lesley’s back become severely infected after suffering a boat strike. She needed several surgeries and almost three years in rehabilitation. But she ultimately recovered and was released in January of 2021. She is one of the manatees in our Adopt-A-Manatee program.
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Cary Evans, Save the Manatee Club volunteer
Save the Manatee Club Volunteer Cary Evans helps a young festival goer with the Club’s Manatee Matching Game. Cary also participates in the Club’s Manatee Observer program and educational presentations. “My favorite moments are where I get to teach others about manatees,” she says.