Manatee Sightings: April 2020

Special thanks to Save the Manatee Club staff members Wayne Hartley, Manatee Specialist, and Cora Berchem, Director of Multimedia and Manatee Research Associate, for their work to document the manatees this season and provide us with all the wonderful photos, video, and information. Watch videos from last season and highlights from previous seasons by going to our Webcam page. Several of the manatees featured are in our Adopt-A-Manatee® program. (All activities conducted under permit # MA791721-5.)

How cool is this? With all the manatees gone from their warm water winter home at Blue Spring, manatee adoptee Phyllis made a quick appearance at the park on March 31st with a juvenile in tow! We caught a glimpse of her on our above-water webcam! (Video © Save the Manatee Club.)

 
Manatee adoptee Moo Shoo with her calf at Blue Spring in January 2020. While reviewing our underwater webcam footage, we found out the calf is a girl! (Video © Save the Manatee Club.)

Funny Manatee Moment
Two manatees appear to be sharing a secret in this funny photo captured on a GoPro camera during manatee research.
See the manatee comings and goings on this fast-motion video of a winter day at Blue Spring State Park on January 24, 2020. Adoptee Lily is located at the center back with the large, white scars. (Video © Save the Manatee Club.)
Whiskers the manatee
A nice photo of Whiskers on February 4, 2020, as he rests in the warm-water sanctuary at Blue Spring State Park.

Video of adoptee Philip doing a barrel roll during our morning research in early February 2020! (Video © Save the Manatee Club.)

Manatee "yawn"
Do manatees yawn? We don’t know for sure, but Pat Rose, Save the Manatee Club’s Executive Director, captured what certainly looks like a yawn from a manatee on the webcam at Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park in late January.

Adoptee Gator returned to Blue Spring on February 11th. We hadn’t seen him since December 21st and many of our staff, adoptive parents, and followers had been worried about him. We were so happy to see him! Recorded with our above-water webcams at Blue Spring. (Video © Save the Manatee Club.)

Doc the manatee
An exceptional photo of Doc on his February 4th visit to Blue Spring.
Here’s a short video of adoptee Nick at Blue Spring State Park that we recorded on January 29, 2020, during our morning research. (Video © Save the Manatee Club.)
Moo Shoo the manatee and her calf
A sweet photo of Moo Shoo and the new calf she brought in this season. This was taken in mid January 2020.
On a cold winter morning, many manatees gather at Blue Spring State Park, including adoptee Deep Dent (center right in the video). In addition, watch a manatee execute a beautiful barrel roll at about :45 in the video. Recorded with our underwater webcam at Blue Spring on January 31, 2020. (Video © Save the Manatee Club.)
Aqua the manatee
Aqua’s scar pattern distinguishes her from the other resting manatees. Here she is on February 24, 2020.
Watch this cute video of two juvenile manatees playing in the protected warm-water sanctuary at Blue Spring State Park. Recorded with our underwater webcam at Blue Spring on February 4, 2020. (Video © Save the Manatee Club.)
Lucille the manatee
Here’s Lucille in February 2020, coming up to take a breath of air. You can clearly see the scar from fishing line entanglement on her flipper.
Adoptee Doc made a visit to Blue Spring State Park on February 4, 2020, and posed in front of our underwater webcam. (Video © Save the Manatee Club.)
Manatee Dineh and her yearling calf came by our underwater webcam at Blue Spring State Park on January 22, 2020, and was followed by SMC adoptee Phyllis checking out a submerged log right in front of the camera. (Video © Save the Manatee Club.)
Paddy Doyle the manatee
Paddy Doyle was late for manatee “roll call” on a few occasions this season, but on one day he was the sole adoptee present. This photo is from January 29, 2020, and you can see his distinctive scar patterns.
Nick the manatee
Nick first visited Blue Spring on November 19, 2019, and he was last spotted on March 10th. Here he is at the end of January.
Manatee Pax and her calf travel in the spring run at Blue Spring State Park. Recorded with our above-water webcam on January 30, 2020. (Video © Save the Manatee Club.)
Brutus the manatee
We heard from our fellow researchers that Brutus, Flash, and Rocket were spotted at another spring this winter, so we were excited to see Brutus make several visits to Blue Spring in February 2020.
Man Versus Manatee Comic
“Sack Lunch” from the charming web comic “Man versus Manatee” by Rachel Arnow. Notice the manatee’s Save the Manatee Club logo lunch box at left and the otter’s fish lunch box at right. See more of Rachel’s manatee comics at mvsm.omnomzom.com or on her Facebook page. She puts out a new comic each “Manatee Monday.”