Clearwater Marine Aquarium

Manatees

Manatee Tracking – Chain

A full health assessment was conducted on an eight and half foot subadult male manatee named “Chain” on July 13, 2026, in Lake Griffin within the Chain-of-Lakes near Leesburg, Florida by Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute (CMARI) through the collaborative effort from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Georgia Aquarium (GAI), SeaWorld Orlando (SWO), Walt Disney World – Living Seas and St. Johns Water Management District. “Chain” received a complete health checkup from GAI veterinarian staff and additional blood was provided to University of Florida and USGS for future analysis and comparative studies. He was also outfitted with a GPS satellite tag to closely monitor his travels as part of our Ocklawaha Manatee Movement study. The project will collect crucial habitat use and health data to help manage threats to manatees that migrate into the system during the warmer months of the year from the east coast of Florida and the upper St. Johns River. Working in cooperation with state and federal agencies, data collected from this project will also provide an insightful understanding of how often individual manatees navigate through lock systems and what resources are they seek between large lake systems.

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Manatee Tracking – Talbot

An adult male manatee named “Talbot” was observed in Silver River by Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute (CMARI) with monofilament line entanglements on both flippers in August 2026. He was resighted by CMARI and Save the Manatee Club staff during the winter at various natural warm water springs in the St. Johns River but his frequent movement made it impossible for rescue crews to respond. “Talbot” was seen in Silver River by CMARI on July 20, 2026, still with his entanglement. A rescue crew consisting of staff from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), University of Florida (UF), Jacksonville Zoo and CMARI, were able to respond on July 23, 2026, in hopes to help save his flipper(s). The Veterinarian team from UF were able to tediously remove the embedded line from both of his flippers and conduct a full health assessment.

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Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute Scientists Collaborate to Publish First Abundance Estimate of Greater Caribbean Manatees in Belize

Researchers from the Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute (CMARI), in collaboration with partners across the United States, Belize and the wider Caribbean, have published the first statistically robust estimate of the population abundance and distribution of the Greater Caribbean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus) in Belize.

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Manatee Tracking – Tawana

“Tawana” was first observed at Salt Spring, Florida in January 2019 by Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute (CMARI) while they were conducting their photo identification study for manatee use at springs in the lower St. Johns River.

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Manatee Tracking – Krayt

A full health assessment was conducted on a ten-foot adult male manatee named “Krayt” on June 17, 2025 in Haynes Creek within the Chain-of-Lakes near Lisbon, Florida by Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute (CMARI) through the collaborative effort from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Georgia Aquarium (GAI), SeaWorld Orlando (SWO), Brevard Zoo and St. Johns Water Management District.

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Manatee Tracking – Curious

A full health assessment was conducted on a nine-foot adult male manatee named “Curious” on June 18, 2025 in Haynes Creek within the Chain-of-Lakes near Lisbon, Florida by Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute (CMARI) through the collaborative effort from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Georgia Aquarium (GAI), SeaWorld Orlando (SWO), Brevard Zoo and St. Johns Water Management District.

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Manatee Tracking – Prince

A full health assessment was conducted on a 10.5 foot adult male manatee named “Prince” on June 17, 2025 in Haynes Creek within the Chain-of-Lakes near Lisbon, Florida by Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute (CMARI) through the collaborative effort from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Georgia Aquarium (GAI), SeaWorld Orlando (SWO), Brevard Zoo and St. Johns Water Management District.

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Manatee Tracking – Kottke

A full health assessment was conducted on a nine-and-a-half-foot adult male manatee named Kottke on April 30, 2025 at Cumberland Island, Georgia through the collaborative effort between Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute (CMARI), Georgia Aquarium (GAI), Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GDNR) and many other partners.

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Manatee Tracking – Trucks

A ten-and-a-half-foot adult male manatee named Trucks was located and tagged on April 30, 2024 at Cumberland Island, Georgia through the collaborative effort between Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute (CMARI), Georgia Aquarium (GAQ), Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GDNR) and other organizations. Trucks received a full health assessment checkup from GAQ and CMARI veterinarian staff and was outfitted with a GPS satellite tag to closely monitor his travels as part of our manatee Northern Atlantic Coast Manatee Movement study. The project will collect crucial habitat use and health data to help manage threats to manatees that migrate northward into coastal Georgia and the Carolinas during the warmer months of the year. Working in cooperation with state and federal agencies, data collected from this project will also be utilized to gain a better understanding of how manatees are adapting their movement and use of habitat post the loss of food sources along the east coast of Florida which was a major contributing factor to the manatee Unusual Mortality Event in recent years.

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Manatee Tracking – Larmore

A full health assessment was conducted on a ten adult female manatee named Larmore on May 1, 2025 at Cumberland Island, Georgia through the collaborative effort between Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute (CMARI), Georgia Aquarium (GAI), Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GDNR) and many other partners.

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