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MANATEES OF LAKE COUNTY

Emergency Contacts * Manatee Manners * Manatees in Lake County
Leesburg / Trevluc / Sunset * History of the Manatee in Lake County
Appearance and Habits * Research * Manatees in the News
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“Leesburg” with her calf “Sunset” and tagged manatee “Trevluc” in the Silver River September 2019. (CMARI photo credit)

Who to call if you see a manatee in distress.

Manatee Manners

The Life and Legacy of a Manatee Named "Leesburg"

LEESBURG and SUNSET

Clearwater Marine Aquarium – Research Institute
Monica Ross, Senior Research Scientist
mross@CMAquarium.org

During the summer of 2015, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) began receiving reports of a manatee in Lake Harris, Leesburg, Lake County. Through photos obtained by citizens at the time of their sightings, it was determined there were actually two subadult to adult size manatees in the upper chain lake system of the Ocklawaha. As the public sightings continued to roll in during late fall, concerns increased as it appeared there might not be adequate warm water in the area for manatee survival through a winter. There were also concerns regarding the manatees’ ability to travel north back through the three lock systems they had traversed in spring to get to the chain of lakes. Fliers were placed at local marinas and boat ramps by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) volunteers asking the public to keep a look out for the animals and to report their sightings right away to the FWC Wildlife Hotline number (1-888-404-3922). On 19 August 2015, the body of a medium sized adult male was recovered at the Moss Bluff Lock. The cause of death was not determined because his carcass was too decomposed at recovery, but it did not have any obvious signs of trauma.

During January and February, a single manatee was still being reported in the chain of lakes system. On Valentine’s Day 2016, a manatee was reported in the Venetian Gardens canals. FWC, Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute (previously Sea to Shore Alliance) and Save the Manatee Club responded and rescued the manatee before noon. The manatee was a female, in very poor condition, with extensive cold stress over her entire body. Her condition was considered critical with many of her rescuers not expecting her to survive. She was transported to Zoo Tampa (previously Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo), one of only four manatee critical care facilities, to rehabilitate from her cold stress. She received extensive care at the zoo for almost three months and received the name “Leesburg” after the closest location where she was rescued.

On May 11, 2016 “Leesburg” was released into the St. Johns River at Welaka, Putnam County. The release sight was chosen because it was fairly close to the entrance of the Ocklawaha River system, an area “Leesburg” would have passed previously, placing her back in a familiar area for navigation. She weighed 1100 pounds and was just under 9 feet long at release – considered a small adult just reaching the age length of becoming reproductively active. “Leesburg” was outfitted with manatee tracking gear, which contained a GPS tag, so researchers from Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute (CMARI) could monitor her activities if she moved back into the Ocklawaha system. “Leesburg” was the first manatee tagged for CMARI’s Ocklawaha Manatee Use Study with the goal to obtain the first ever manatee movement and habitat distribution use within the Ocklawaha system to assist with identification of feeding locations, resting locations and movement parameters.

Photos of “Leesburg” release May 2016 (CMARI photo credit)

“Leesburg” moved to the Buckman Lock and was locked through just two days after her release. Her movement in the Ocklawaha basin from May to September suggested she was very familiar with the system, finding ample amounts of food to feed on and socializing with other manatees. “Leesburg” began to travel south up the Ocklawaha on the 28 September 2016 and was locked through the Moss Bluff lock on 30 September 2016. She reached Lake Griffin on October 1, 2016 and moved through the Burrell Lock on 10 October 2016 reaching Lake Harris that same day. “Leesburg” moved between Lake Harris and Lake Denham for several days before returning to Lake Griffin on October 22, 2016. During the late hours of October 31,2016, the GPS tag incurred damage from an alligator bite causing it to partially fill with water and sink just below the water column. This stopped all routine transmissions on the location of “Leesburg”, but researchers were able to continue tracking her with some additional equipment inside the belt around her peduncle.

“Leesburg” GPS tag movement locations within the Ocklawaha River system.

As winter set in, “Leesburg” remained in the lake chain of Lake Griffin, Lake Eustis and Lake Harris feeding on primarily hydrilla and coontail (submerged vegetation). CMARI researchers were having a very difficult time changing out her malfunctioning tag because of her avoidance behavior but on 16 December 2016, a new tag was exchanged. “Leesburg” was confirmed at that time to be in great condition with no cold stress apparent on her body. Due to the mild winter conditions in December, no concern was indicated at that time. “Leesburg’s” movement over the next few weeks indicated she was utilizing the entire Lake Harris and Little Lake Harris shoreline, while also utilizing Palatlakaha and Mooring Cove springs during cold fronts. This was wonderful news since it was not previously clear if she had knowledge of where to go for warm water during a cold front.

Unfortunately, the day after Christmas, 26 December 2016, all of her tracking gear fell off, ending her GPS monitoring option for the season. This did not stop CMARI staff. Since we had obtained valuable information on manatee habitat use of the area, we were able to routinely monitor specific springs to help with the health assessment of “Leesburg” through the winter. CMARI had formed a great network of citizens that either ventured out on their boats on a routine basis or lived by the water and could report their sightings of manatees for additional monitoring of “Leesburg” activity. Two “Leesburg” sightings were collected or reported almost weekly to the FWC Wildlife Hotline number or to CMARI staff through the end of March. From photos citizens also obtained, CMARI was able to confirm “Leesburg” had also been hit by a boat on three separate incidents while in the Lake Eustis and Lake Harris.

Public visuals of manatees in the chain of lakes increased in April through May 2017, with up to three manatees confirmed in the system at a given time. “Leesburg” was reported and confirmed from photo-identification to have utilized Lake Harris, Lake Eustis, Lake Dora and Lake Beauclair from March to May with the last confirmed visual reported on 20 May 2017 in Lake Eustis. A report was received at the FWC Wildlife Hotline on 1 July 2017 of a manatee with a calf in Lake Eustis, but no photos were provided to confirm it was “Leesburg”.

Public sighting photos of “Leesburg” from Dec 2017 – April 2018

CMARI researchers did try several times to retag “Leesburg” but her avoidance behavior inhibited our efforts. However, during one of their attempts, she was visually confirmed to be pregnant. Manatee gestation period is 12-13 months. Adding a year to her release date and another month before she was observed in close proximity to more than one male manatee, her birthing date was estimated to occur between mid-June to mid-July 2017.

CMARI researchers monitor several springs along the St. Johns River for manatee use throughout the winter months. Leesburg was resighted at a small spring in the St. Johns River on 5 Jan 2018. With great enthusiasm from researchers, she was documented with a small calf and both were in great condition.

Leesburg-Sunset 1 Leesburg-Sunset 2
“Leesburg” with calf near a small spring in the St. Johns River on 5 January 2018 (CMARI photo credit)

CMARI began a manatee use study in April 2018 to establish the suitability of Silver River as a viable and sustainable wintering habitat for the Florida manatee and subsequently how the species might be using the system during warmer times of the year. During a survey on 13 September 2018, “Leesburg” and her calf “Sunset” were documented swimming up the Silver River. To our delight, they joined up with “Trevluc”, the second manatee tagged for the Ocklawaha Manatee Use Study. “Leesburg and Sunset” were seen monthly in Silver River through March 2019, using Silver River as their warm water refuge for winter.

Trevluc-Leesburg-Sunset in the Silver River sept 2019 photo credit CMARI
“Leesburg” with her calf “Sunset” and tagged manatee “Trevluc” in the Silver River September 2019. (CMARI photo credit)

“Leesburg” was not seen again until 4 December 2019 using Silver River as her warm water refuge for winter. She appeared to be very pregnant, intensely feeding on submerged vegetation, acting normal but displaying a new boat strike scar, a linear mark on her right side. A citizen contacted CMARI and FWC on 9 January 2020 with a report of a manatee floating high on its right side at the mouth of Silver River. The manatee was tucked up on the bank not moving but still alive. CMARI staff responded the next morning to confirm the location and condition of the manatee while FWC deployed a rescue crew. While waiting for the rescue crew to arrive, CMARI staff were monitoring the manatee’s behavior and obtained photo-identification of the scar patterns to help with the identification of the animal. They determined the manatee struggling to breathe was “Leesburg”. The rescue crew were able to capture “Leesburg” but she passed away before they reached the boat ramp to take her to a critical care facility. FWC performed a necropsy at the Marine Mammal Pathobiology Laboratory in St. Petersburg, FL on 10 January 2020. They reported the probable cause of death was Human Related: Watercraft Collision. “Leesburg” had a chronic healing watercraft wound with numerous fractured ribs and vertebral separations. They also confirmed she had a near full term male calf inside of her when she died. Upon examination of the scar photos obtained on 4 December 2019 to her necropsy findings, it is believed she had been suffering from a boat strike injury for over a month before she succumbed to her injuries.

The death of “Leesburg” has been heavy on the people and community that helped rescue her back in 2016 and all those that followed her story in subsequent years. Even though “Leesburg” was killed by human interaction, her story inspired so many to learn more about manatees. Her journey will live on by the invaluable movement data she provided researchers and residents that live and play on the Ocklawaha waterways, all the way down to Leesburg, Florida.

The Story of Trevluc

TREVLUC

Clearwater Marine Aquarium – Research Institute
Nicole Bartlett, Research Assistant, NBartlett@CMAquarium.org
Monica Ross, Senior Research Scientist, mross@CMAquarium.org

On September 22, 2016, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) received a call from a local fisherman about a manatee in Camp Branch Creek. It was determined that the animal had likely entered the creek during the high water after Hurricane Hermine and became trapped as the flood water receded. Four days later, the manatee, weighing 690 pounds at almost nine feet long, was rescued from a culvert intersecting Boys Camp Road and relocated to the nearby Rodeheaver Boys Camp in Putnam County on the St. Johns River near the entrance to the Ocklawaha River. “Trevluc” (which is “culvert” spelled backwards), was outfitted with manatee tracking gear, which contained a GPS tag, so researchers from Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute (CMARI) -formerly Sea to Shore Alliance - could monitor his activities if he moved back into the Ocklawaha system. “Trevluc” was the second manatee tagged for CMARI’s Ocklawaha Manatee Use Study with the goal to obtain manatee movement and habitat distribution use within the Ocklawaha system to assist with identification of feeding locations, resting locations and movement parameters.

Rescue and Relocation of “Trevluc” September 2016 (FWC photo credit)

“Trevluc” traveled through the Buckman Lock and into the Ocklawaha River system on October 25, 2016. He circled within the Upper Ocklawaha and Rodman Reservoir, passing back and forth through the Buckman Lock several times before leaving the system for the winter season on November 13, 2016. “Trevluc” utilized DeLeon Springs the majority of winter, venturing into Blue Springs State Park on the days where he experienced prolonged periods of cold weather.

Trevluc Movements Within the Ocklawaha River System Trevluc.” GPS tag movement locations within the Ocklawaha River system.

On April 11, 2017, “Trevluc” passed through the Buckman Lock and returned to the Ocklawaha River system, where he made quick time of losing his tag on April 24, 2017. On May 18, 2017, FWC received a public sighting of “Trevluc” in the Ocklawaha near Eureka. He was spotted in the Silver River on June 29 and August 30, 2017 by Silver Spring State Park staff, but he evaded CMARI researchers’ retagging efforts in favor of chowing down on some tasty coontail.

During winter 2018, “Trevluc” was resighted and retagged on January 6th at Blue Spring State Park. Once the weather warmed up, he traveled back through the Buckman Lock and into the Ocklawaha River system on March 30, 2018. “Trevluc” ventured into the Silver River on April 4, 2018 to later make a move to Moss Bluff Lock and Dam, which was unfortunately inoperable and under repair.

“Trevluc” moved north of Silver River and returned to Moss Bluff Lock six times from April 14, 2018 until the fourth of July when he exited the Ocklawaha River to travel north along the St. Johns River to Jacksonville through the end of July. On August 2, 2018, “Trevluc” traversed through the Buckman Lock and into the Ocklawaha River where he resumed his exploration of the Silver River, visited Moss Bluff twice, before losing his tag on October 6, 2018. “Trevluc” was spotted once more by Silver Spring State Park staff in the Silver River, on October 20, 2018, and was not seen again until he returned to Blue Springs State Park, where he was retagged on December 6, 2018.

“Trevluc” GPS tag movement locations within the Ocklawaha River system.

“Trevluc” spent the winter bouncing between DeLeon Springs and Blue Springs State Park, returning to the Ocklawaha River March 21, 2019. He visited the Silver River March 30, 2019 for one day, before passing through Moss Bluff Lock on April 8, 2019. He spent May and June exploring Lake Griffin, returning to Moss Bluff three times, but did not traverse through the lock. Mid-June he travelled through Burrell Lock and into Lake Eustis, Lake Harris, Little Lake Harris, and Lake Dora. He returned to Lake Griffin via Burrell Lock, where his tag attracted the interest of an alligator, who bit through the floatation ring, causing it to sink and stop transmitting on June 27, 2019. “Trevluc” was found the next day with a very social group of manatees, and his sunk tag was exchanged. He resumed traveling throughout Lake Griffin and the other central lakes. He visited the Lake Apopka Lock and Dam on July 7, 2019. His tag stopped working the next day in Lake Dora, likely the victim of another alligator. Before the tag could be retrieved by CMARI researchers, it was vandalized, transported onto land and further tampered with eliminating further transmissions. “Trevluc” was not resighted again until April 9, 2020 when he was seen near Silver River swimming after a large female manatee.

“Trevluc” and alligators (Photo Credit Cora Berchem SMC; and CMARI)

“Trevluc” (Photo Credits CMARI and Cora Berchem, SMC)

On July 16, 2020, FWC received a report of a deceased manatee down river from Burrell Lock, at the mouth of Haines Creek, in Lake Griffin. CMARI staff retrieved the carcass for FWC so they could perform a necropsy (similar to a human autopsy) to determine the cause of death. Sadly, the manatee was identified as “Trevluc” and his death was human-related, caused from an acute watercraft collision. The death of “Trevluc” is especially tragic, since it occurred so soon after the death of the first manatee tagged in the Ocklawaha, “Leesburg”. “Leesburg” and her near-term male calf also died due to human interaction from a watercraft collision in January of this year.

“Trevluc” was extremely valuable to the research community, as he was a very social animal, and led CMARI to document a record number of manatees in the Ocklawaha River system. He was an ambassador for manatees in particular in the Silver River, where he spent so much of his time and was seen by many people discovering the beauty of our Florida Springs and the many species who call it home.

Trevluc-Leesburg-Sunset in the Silver River sept 2019 photo credit CMARI

“Trevluc” with first Ocklawaha Study animal “Leesburg, her calf “Sunset” in the Silver River September 2019. (CMARI photo credit)

The History of the Manatee in Florida

THE HISTORY OF THE MANATEE IN FLORIDA

The Florida manatee is one of two sub species of the West Indian manatee. The other is the Antillean manatee. The Florida manatee became Florida’s state marine mammal in 1975.

Archaeologists have found manatee bones in refuse piles of native people from 10,000 to 20,000 years ago. Christopher Columbus noted the people of the islands had “cow” skulls on their walls and saw “mermaids” in the water. In the late 1770’s, William Bartram, a naturalist who studied Florida’s flora and fauna, gives one of the earliest descriptions of a Florida manatee after a visit to what is now Manatee Springs State Park.

John James Audubon noted in 1832 that his guide in the Florida Keys had for years hunted manatees for sale and profit. In 1885, An observer in Florida noted that, “There is no doubt that the manatee is fast becoming an extinct animal. The sea cow will pass out of existence…and the only remaining trace of its former existence will be a few old bones.” Thus in 1893 the manatee received its first official Protection under Florida State law.

Although manatees to this point have not survived well in captivity, Snooty was the first recorded birth in captivity on July 21, 1948 at the old Miami Aquarium and Tackle Company. He resides to this day at the Parker Manatee Aquarium in Bradenton.

The Federal Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966 listed manatees as an endangered species. The 1978 Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act declares entire state as a refuge and sanctuary for manatees and allows regulation of boat speeds in proximity to manatee aggregation areas. In 1990, the Save the Manatee Trust Fund was established and the Save the Manatee license plates became available.

Aerial manatee survey results in 1996 counted 2,639 manatees. As of 2017, aerial counts of manatees recorded 6,620 animals. During January of 2010, northwest Florida experienced 14 straight days of below-freezing temperatures. From January to April of that year, 503 manatee carcasses were reported with the majority being from cold damage.

In 2015, the first known sightings of manatees in the Harris Chain of Lakes are reported and Leesburg the Manatee becomes a local celebrity.

Manatee Appearance and Habits

MANATEE APPEARANCE AND HABITS

Adult manatees are typically 9-10 feet long and weigh up to 1,200 pounds; however, they may grow to over 13 feet long and weigh more than 3,500 pounds. Calves are 3-4 ft. long & weigh 60-70 lbs. at birth. Manatees may live as long as 60 years in the wild.

Mother and calf - photo courtesy Save the Manatee Club

Manatees use their paddle-shaped tail for swimming. The bones in a manatee's flipper are similar to a human hand. Their two forelimbs are used for steering and holding vegetation while they eat. Manatees are quite agile in the water. They can swim upside down, roll, do somersaults or move vertically in the water.

Photo courtesy Save the Manatee Club

Manatees are herbivores, that is, they eat vegetation. Because manatees often eat plants that contain sand particles, their teeth can wear down quickly. Teeth, which are all molars, start as new teeth in the back of the jaw and slowly move forward at 1 centimeter per month.

Manatees have no teeth for biting, only teeth for grinding. They use their upper lip like an elephant uses its trunk, helping to draw plants into their mouth.

The stiff whiskers around their mouth provide the manatees with a sense of touch helping them to understand the environment.

Photo by Wilfredo Lee, Associated Press

Manatees can hear very well despite the absence of external ear lobes. The small ear openings are located just behind their eyes.

A manatee’s small eyes have nictitating membranes that can be drawn over them for protection underwater but still allow the animal some sight. Manatees do not have eyelids or eyelashes. Their eye muscles close in a circular motion, like the aperture on a camera. Manatees have only six neck vertebrae. As a result, manatees cannot turn their heads sideways; they must turn their whole body around to look behind them.

A manatee's heart beats at a rate of 50 to 60 beats a minute. The heart rate slows down to 30 beats a minute during a long dive. The manatee's lungs lie along its backbone instead of along its rib cage as is found in most mammals. Besides breathing, the lungs help the manatee with buoyancy control.

Manatee Research

Manatees in the News

Report a Manatee Sighting