Manatees Need Our Help In Many Ways
Transcription
Manatees Need Our Help In Many Ways
Manatees Need Our Help In Many Ways By Katie Tripp, Ph.D., Director of Science and Conservation J ust in time for Labor Day, we announced a new free iphone App that notifies Florida boaters when they are entering a manatee zone. The App also provides manatee info and allows citizens to make a donation to Save the Manatee Club (SMC). It was developed by a Delray Beach company called Conserve.IO, in conjunction with SMC. The free App can be downloaded at bit.ly/15EYen6. We are currently researching fund raising initiatives to raise the $35,000 needed to make this technology available on Android devices so we can reach more boaters. Please contact ktripp@savethe manatee.org if you would like to contribute to this worthwhile endeavor. In September the Algae coat the vascular plant life at many of Florida’s Club was represented impaired springs, including Alexander Springs, where this photo was taken in August. Photo by Katie Tripp. continued on page 7 It’s Manatee Awareness Month! By Janice Nearing, Director of Public Relations The Official Newsletter of Save the Manatee® Club 500 N. Maitland Ave. Maitland, FL 32751 Artwork by Nancy Blauers November, Volume 32 Issue #4 of 2013 Published four times a year in March, June, September and November. Adorable manatee mugs for the camera at Blue Spring State Park. Such a beautiful sight can serve as a reminder that it’s Manatee Awareness Month! Photo © Patrick M. Rose. November is traditionally dedicated to the endangered Florida manatee, the state’s official marine mammal. During Manatee Awareness Month and the winter months that follow, Save the Manatee Club encourages the public to watch manatees in their natural habitat on the Club’s webcams at Blue Spring State Park. This is an amazing edu cational opportunity for people around the world to see live continued on page 5 Mommas And Newborns Stop By – And Other Park News By Wayne Hartley, Manatee Specialist – Blue Spring Adoption Update S trange things happen when my back is turned. As I went through the pictures taken by the USGS Sirenia Project researchers the past season, I saw manatees I had never seen in person. As a result, the total seen at the Park has reached 486, and the number staying the winter went to 325. Elaine is one of those staying the winter that I was not aware of. She was photographed on March 4th. With all the calves last season, we still had many pregnant manatees. The parade of newborns has started already. On August 4th Una brought in a calf. The next On behalf of the Club, Executive Director Patrick Rose (right) presents a special conservation award to Robert Rundle for his many years of service helping manatees at the Park. Photo by Terry Nearing. day Dix brought a calf to the swim dock. Dix is probably four years old and was discovered to be a pregnant female at the end of last season. On August 16th an unknown female was around in the morning, and at about 2 p.m. she gave birth in the lower end of the run. On August 18th she was joined by Phyllis and her new calf! Finally, Alice, a member of one of our largest matriar chies and a descendant of the departed Dana, brought in a calf on August 21st. I expect more to come. On August 27th the FWC East Coast Recovery Team got a report of a ditch full of manatees behind the Central Florida Regional Hospital in Sanford, Florida. They wanted to find out what was going on and make sure the manatees could get out. All was okay, and they did finally leave and return to Lake Monroe. It appears ten males pursued a young lovely named Pine into the ditch. I’ve seen pictures and ID’d Brutus, Philip, Paddy Doyle, Howie, Turtle, Homer II, and Jethro in addition to Pine. Pine was released at the Spring a few years ago with Forest (they were named after a school). Forest took off, but Pine was tracked in the Lake Monroe area and became a Blue Spring regular. Editor’s Note: Blue Spring State Park Manager Robert Rundle retired from the Florida Park Service on October 1st after 35 years of distinguished service, including the last eight at the Park. He demonstrated a great caring spirit for the manatees who came into the warm-water refuge of the Park’s spring waters, and he will be missed. At the same time, we congratulate Jerry Garrett for being selected as the new Park Manager! Go Greener Sign up to receive your paperless copy of this newsletter. Four times a year, we will email you a link to an online version. You reduce our annual postage and printing costs, you are saving trees, and you’ll have a little less snail mail in your mailbox. Send us an email at [email protected], and many thanks for your help. Zewie And Bama Not Spotted Yet By Dr. Ruth Carmichael and Elizabeth Hieb – Alabama Adoption Update 2 As summer turned to fall, Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s Manatee Sighting Network (MSN) continued to monitor manatees in Alabama waters. This season, Alabama’s tagged manatees have generally remained eastward. Serge and Aven made brief trips to Alabama in July, but other tagged manatees, Wilson and Brodie, have not migrated west of the Florida panhandle. While our currently tagged manatees have stayed east, MSN has received an unprecedented number of publicly reported manatee sightings (nearly 220) this summer. Previously tagged manatees, Zewie and Bama, Save the Manatee Club adoptees, have not been seen yet since leaving their warm-water refuges in February. Alabama residents, however, have frequently spotted another previously tagged manatee, Ellie, known from Crystal River, Florida, among a likely breeding group in Dog River, Alabama. Ellie was seen several times from June through August along with TB294, an adventurous manatee who traveled nearly 100 miles north of Mobile Bay in 2012. As manatee sighting reports continue to increase in Alabama, MSN will hold a first public seminar and volunteer training event this fall to educate local resi dents on safe viewing of manatees in our area and how to help MSN continue its research. We hope for a great turnout to report in the next newsletter! Internationally, Manatees Young And Old Continue To Need Us O ur friends at Wildtracks now have 3 manatees in their care – Duke, Rame ses, and Khaleesi. We are raising funds to upgrade Wildtracks’ manatee kitchen so they have the facilities needed to prep and store meals for these youngsters. We’re hoping the sale of handcrafted bracelets from Sarteneja in our gift catalog will bring in some of the needed proceeds, but additional funds will be required. Manatees in Belize are already threatened by high speed boat traffic gener ated from cruise ship passengers in Belize City. We previously designed and helped pay for Slow Speed signage to protect manatees in these waters. This is an important reminder that manatees can be negatively impacted by tourism, and we must all do our due diligence to help ensure that our travel choices are not threat ening these gentle creatures. Unfortunately, we have some sad news from Puerto Rico, where Maya, a young rescued orphan, has died. Young orphaned calves sometimes have illnesses or birth defects that prevent their survival despite the quality care they receive By Katie Tripp, Ph.D., Director of Science and Conservation Paul Walker of Wildtracks bottle feeds baby Khaleesi. Photo by Tony Rath Photography, tonyrath.com. after rescue. Thankfully, many other calves thrive with a lot of TLC. We were recently contacted to assist with funding for the rehabilitation of two orphaned calves in Mexico. There is no shortage of manatees who need us – and you! Just as youth education is key to protecting Florida’s manatees, children in all countries where manatees are found must learn to value them in order to become f uture stewards. We continue working with our partners to support the distribution of educa tional resources in various countries. With the help of colleagues in Brazil and Mexico we are investigating the publication of a children’s book that contains manatee biology and conservation information in all four of the main languages spoken where manatees are found: English, Span ish, French, and Portuguese. Winter Season Fast Approaching By Susan Lowe – Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park Adoption Update Ariel, Lorelei, Electra, and Rosie are getting excited as November 15th is fast approaching for the gates to be lifted to allow wild manatees into the main spring. Our Park captive manatees easily go into their comfortable winter quarters for a few months to allow their wild cousins an expanded warm-water sanctuary of our main spring, which is the headwaters of the Homosassa River. It is wonderful to see the female manatees enter the spring run during the season with their young calves in tow. We take lots of photos of them, and their calves, to assist researchers on the lives of these wild manatees. We have had some females that have been returning to the Homosassa River for over 20 years. One who was identified had traveled as far as Alabama! Our Underwater Observatory can be surrounded by many wild mana tees during this time, so please make sure you take a peek daily at all the activity by going to our manatee cam at manateecam.org. Please come and visit Ariel, Lorelei, Electra, and Rosie! They would love to see their adoptive fan club members and show off their beautiful home at Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, open 365 days a year! Editor’s Note: We congratulate Park Manager Art Yerian for his promotion to Assistant Bureau Chief for District 5 in Southeast Florida, and we thank him for his many years of service helping manatees at the Park. And our hearty congratulations to Kimberlee Tennille, who will be taking over as new Park Manager! Susan Lowe has been the Park’s Wildlife Care Supervisor since 2004, responsible for managing a department that contains eight staff, 30 plus volunteers, and over 300 wildlife residents, including several Florida manatees. 3 Volunteers Wanted – Please Step In And Help Out By Janice Nearing, Director of Public Relations I f you are a current volunteer for Save the Manatee Club, we can’t thank you enough. If you are considering becoming one (hurray!), there are many essential opportunities where volunteers can get involved and put all that care for manatees into action. Here’s one important way. We like to have a presence at events around Florida and outside the state whenever possible. So we set up information tables or booths at community festivals and nature-themed fairs or conven tions; sometimes at schools, libraries, and environmental centers. The Club relies on our esteemed team of vol unteers to staff these throughout the year and provide information about manatees and the Club’s conservation work to the public. However, we’re often met with a barrage of event requests at certain times of the year, such as two-day winter festivals and multiple events during Earth Day month (April), mostly in Florida. We strive to participate in all of them, but the question that pops up all too frequently is, do we have enough volun teer help? Here’s where we hope you eagerly chime in with, “Oh, I can set aside a few Saturdays and spare some time to volunteer!” Our volunteers make up a vibrant cross section of the community, from college students to retirees. Many are looking for a chance to ‘give something back’ while making new friends along the way. Through the combined efforts of our engaging, passionate volunteers, the Club’s outreach and education efforts continue to improve the lives of manatees and the waterways they call home. Join the Club’s Volunteer Team today online at savethemanatee.org/vol.htm. Discover the value of volunteering for a cause you believe in. Mark your calendar for these big two-day Florida manatee festivals coming up in 2014. The Club sets up education booths at each of them, and we’d gratefully welcome extra volunteer help. Thousands of visitors attend and enjoy the festivities, especially those special moments that are spent observing and admiring the manatees. Club volunteers pose with “Hope” the giant inflatable manatee during the 2013 Blue Spring Manatee Festival. Photo by Terry Nearing. Florida Manatee Festival January 18 & 19, 2014 Crystal River, Citrus County, FL Contact Citrus County Chamber of Commerce at 352-795-3149 or visit citruscountychamber.com Blue Spring Manatee Festival January 25 & 26, 2014 Orange City, Volusia County, FL Contact 386-775-9224 or visit themanateefestival.com Apollo Beach Manatee Festival of the Arts March 8 & 9, 2014 Apollo Beach, Hillsborough County, FL Contact 813-645-1366 or visit apollobeachchamber.com Tampa Bay Manatees Soon To Seek Warmer Waters By Kelsey Jennings, Staff Biologist 4 There have been no sightings of the Tampa Bay a doptees since the last update in September. This is not uncommon during the warmer months, when manatees are able to disperse far and wide along the Gulf Coast. As fall continues to progress, keep your eyes open for manatees at warm-water locations such as the TECO power plant located in Tampa. The migra tion of m anatees when the weather turns colder usually begins in October, so make sure to remain on the look out for manatees if out on the water. Seasonal speed zones usually begin in early November, so take the time to read any posted signs indicating speed zones throughout Florida. Cold weather months are a great time to see manatees, as they often congregate in certain locations, particularly around power plants and natural springs. It is important to let manatees rest, especially during the cold months, as they need to conserve their energy. Please remember to call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) to report any manatees you are concerned about, including any injured, dead, orphaned, or harassed manatees. Cool Manatee Stuff! Learn about manatees, and have fun doing it! Watch a video, listen to manatee sounds, and much more. Go to savethemanatee.org/coolstuff. There, you will also find links to our Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages. It’s Manatee Awareness Month! manatees in real time. Enjoy the interactions between mothers and their precious young, the amusing antics of juveniles at play, and other special ‘day-in-the-life’ moments of wild manatees who seek the warmth of the spring run continued from page 1 when the weather starts cooling down. You can also watch archived manatee videos from the Blue Spring webcams and read the latest manatee reports from Wayne Hart ley, the Club’s Manatee Specialist and former Park Ranger at Blue Kayak Tours Offer Viewing Without Disrupting Natural Behavior Spring State Park. Go to manatv.org and be prepared to spend some quality time mesmerized by manatees and other wondrous Florida wildlife. It’s quite the view! By Nancy Sadusky, Director of Online Communications H ave you ever wanted to see manatees in the wild? Now is your chance to do it, and in a way that does not disrupt their natural behavior. Kayak tours to see manatees begin in October and run through April 2014. The ecotours are offered by Aardvark’s Florida Kayak Company in Crystal River and provide a less invasive alternative to swimming or diving with manatees. In addition, 10 percent of each tour booked by a Save the Manatee Club (SMC) member goes toward the Club’s manatee conservation efforts. Aardvark’s manatee kayak tours are led by owners Matt and Sue Clemons. Matt is a wildlife biolo gist with several years of experience conducting manatee research, and Sue is a former park ranger. Matt is also a member of SMC’s Board of Directors. “Our manatee tours are conducted with a hands-off approach,” says Matt. “We believe that wild animals need to stay wild, and the true ecotourist looks but does not touch.” Each ecotour starts with a brief education session on manatees as well as basic kayaking tips. Then it’s time to begin paddling. Along A manatee rises and provides a thrilling sight during a kayak ecotour! Photo courtesy Matt Clemons, Aardvark’s Florida Kayak Company. the way, you’ll get a chance to view manatees in the wild and learn about the local flora and fauna. The cost of each tour is $45 per person and includes an experienced guide, kayak, paddle, and life jacket. Each tour typically runs about three hours. Kayaking experience is not required, and beginners are welcome. Please book your tour through Aardvark’s Florida Kayak Company by calling 352-795-5650 or email [email protected] for more information. Those par ticipants who identify themselves as SMC members will receive a free manatee sticker, a 20% discount coupon for SMC’s gift catalog or for SMC T-shirts sold in Aardvark’s store, and a 20% off discount coupon to see manatees at the nearby Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. Tour participants are responsible for all travel, hotel, meals, and other expenses. Once you sign up, Matt and Sue will provide a list of area hotels. Reservations are required, so book your tour today and be sure to say you are an SMC member! Sign up to receive our Action Alerts, E-Newsletter, or Manatee Gift notices at bit.ly/smc-signup. 5 Renew Early Please renew your annual membership early. The expiration date appears on the mailing label on your newsletter (see example to the right). Also please consider our Recurring Gift Plan. This saves printing and postage costs. Your contribution can be scheduled monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. By signing up you will eliminate annual renewal notices because we will automatically renew your Club membership. Just print and mail us your Authorization Form. Find it at bit.ly/auth-form. Thanks so much! Meet Our Members Miami resident Lynda Green has a passion for manatees and travel. Last year she visited Mongolia to learn about the Reindeer People and to teach them about manatees. Read more at bit.ly/meet-mbrs. Lithgow’s Manatee Book Continues To Charm By Janice Nearing, Director of Public Relations John Lithgow, reading from one of his children’s books with great dramatic energy to hundreds of admiring fans at his book release of “I’m a Manatee.” Photo by Terry Nearing. A decade ago, actor, musician, and best-selling children’s book author, John Lithgow, wrote a popular book for kids called I’m a Manatee. The imaginative, quirky story of a little boy who dreams of becoming a manatee remains a favorite today and is enjoyed equally by children and grownups. Creatively illustrated, the book also comes with a fun, musically accompanied CD. One listen and just try getting that catchy tune out of your head! The Club’s online gift catalog carries John Lithgow’s paperback book along with many other wonderful manatee gifts for the holidays at shopsavethemanatee.org. A blast from the Club’s past: In conjunction with Lithgow’s manatee book release in 2003, Save the Manatee Club co-hosted a special event at Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, where the actor performed for an enthralled audience, signed his books for happy fans, and saw his adopted manatee, Rosie, at the park’s underwater observatory. The Club presented Lithgow with the honorary manatee adoption. Help Manatees For Tomorrow 6 Remember Save the Manatee® Club in your will or living trust, name the Club a beneficiary in your life insurance policy or retirement plan, and give gifts of real estate and stock. Please consult your attorney about a legacy gift or contact Patrick Rose, the Club’s Executive Director, for further information at 1-800-432-5646. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our federal tax identification number is 59-3131709. Thank you for caring! Sell your items on eBay’s “Giving Works” and help the Club in its conservation mission to protect manatees and their habitat! Find out more at savethemanatee.org/ebay. Manatees Need Our Help In Many Ways as a founding member of SOS-NOW (Save Our Springs – Nature’s Original Wealth) at a Department of Environmental P rotection (DEP) hearing at the South west Florida Water Management District’s Brooksville headquarters. The hearing resulted from a petition filed to DEP by SOS-NOW in response to Minimum Flows and Levels (MFLs) set for the Homosassa and Chassa howitzka Rivers in 2012. Both rivers contain springs that serve as winter habitat for manatees, and both are Outstanding Florida Waters (OFW) – a designation that is supposed to protect them from degradation. The established MFLs for both of these systems would allow a 3% reduction in flow – a reduction our coalition believes is in violation of the state OFW as well as the anti-degradation provisions of the federal Clean Water Act. Sadly, we don’t expect DEP will honor our state’s water policy or federal water law, and we are preparing to take our case to the Environmental Protection Agency. If you would like to contribute to our legal case, please designate “SOS NOW” on your donation to SMC. In 2007–2009 Miami-Dade County undertook a review of its Manatee Protection Plan, motivated by marine development interests, particularly with regard to the downtown area of Miami. This is an area inap propriate for many forms of additional water access due to ongoing threats to manatees from existing human use. Most of the committee’s recommendations would reduce protections for manatees, despite sound biological data that indicate areas historically important to manatees in the county continue to be of crucial significance and in need of protection. As we went to press, the recom mendations for the boat facility siting element of the continued from page 1 MPP were scheduled for an early November hearing before the Board of County Commissioners. Please stay tuned for future updates on this issue. Sadly, 2013 will bring a new mortality record for Florida’s manatees, beating the 2010 record of 766 deaths. The worst red tide on the books, coupled with the unusual mortality event in the Indian River Lagoon, along with all the other “regular” threats manatees face means that they need us, and you, now more than ever to safeguard them and their threatened habitat from those who wish to see protections stripped away. You can request a hi-res jpeg of this ad for your company newsletters. E-mail: [email protected] Bring Peace to Their World This Holiday Season, Adopt-A-Manatee ® Help Protect Them www.savethemanatee.org Call 1-800-432-JOIN (5646) Photo © David Schrichte More Ways You Can Help Have you ever thought about becoming a Club volunteer? Or joining our Manatee Sighting Network? Or contacting decision-makers? Find out more about all the ways you can help. Go to savethemanatee.org/moreways to find out how. Thank you so much! You make a big difference in the lives of manatees! Unwanted Vehicle or Boat? Donate it to Save the Manatee Club and get a tax deduction! Help us protect manatees and their habitat. Call 1-877-999-8322 or go online to savethemanatee.org/otherways and click on the 7 Holiday Gift Catalog Find these items and more at shopsavethemanatee.org. Holiday Ornament Meet Candy Cane, the newest Holiday Ornament. Buy this cute duo for yourself, and several as gifts to add to your Holiday Ornament collection. You are sure to fall in love with them. Candy Cane is approximately 2-1/20 H 3 20 W. Hand-made from polymer clay. Made in the USA! Item #91026 Price $13.95 Squishable Toy/Pillow A must have for all ages. Can be used as a huggable pillow. So cuddly – a great gift for children of all ages. Fifteen inches of spherical sea cow! Filled with polyester fiber. Item #90097 Price $36.95 2014 Wall Calendar A fantastic wall calendar with a beautiful underwater manatee photo for every month of the year. Measures 120 3 240 when open. Special message from our Executive Director, Patrick Rose, inside. Made in the USA! Item #91014 Price $13.99 Holiday Cards Another fabulous design by renowned artist Nancy Blauers. Inside message reads “Wishing you a Happy Holiday Season filled with peace and joy.” Get 12 cards/envelopes on recycled paper. Cards measure 50 3 70. Order early while supplies last. Printed in the USA! Item #99014 Price $14.95 Slap and Wrap Koozie This Slap and Wrap Koozie is versatile and fits various beverage containers and will always retain its shape. (Two metal strips with total memory run end-to-end inside the 1/40 textured neoprene). You can roll this Koozie up and stick it in your pocket, or flatten it out and place it above your car visor or in the glove box. Total size is 3.50 W 3 90 L. Filbert The Plush Toy Meet Filbert! He’s an endearing plush in a two-color design with very soft fur. Machine-washable, and for ages 18 months and up. Measures 50 H 3 200 L. Makes a great gift and a wonderful addition to your manatee collection. Item #90099 Price $19.95 Item #1255 Price $6.95 8 Visit shopsavethemanatee.org or call 1-800-432-JOIN (5646) to order today. Stocking Stuffers: Necklace Sterling silver manatee with cloisonné enamel overlay and blue Swarovski crystals hangs from an adjustable sterling chain (160–200). Makes a wonderful gift! Item #90415 Price $32.95 Dangle Earrings Sterling silver manatees with a cloisonné enamel overlay and French wire backings. Each earring is 1-5/80 in length. Beautiful for any occasion! Item #90404 Price $32.95 Post Earrings Hand crafted of sterling silver and fired cloisonné enamels. They come in a bamboo gift box. Post style and measure 5/80 W 3 3/80 H. Item #90345 Price $19.95 Manatee And Friends Brass Sculpture This superb sculpture is 130 in height, and is attached to a solid marble base. Beautifully crafted and colored, it includes tropical fish, a sea turtle, and manta ray. Made of brass, and colored using a special process to create patina finishes that will not rub off or fade. Item #90735 Price $155.95 Ying And Yang Manatees Two charming manatees made of sand and bound together representing Ying and Yang! Approximately 3-1/20 L 3 20 W. They would make a great display in your home, office, or home office. Another great value! Add to your collection of sand sculptures. Made in the USA! Item #90730 Price $13.95 310 Plush Manatee This lovely plush manatee is oh-so squeezably soft and adorably plump. They are perfect buddies for all the manatee lovers on your gift list! He is 310 in length and has such an adorable face that boasts black bright eyes. Item #90082 Price $45.95 Baby Brass Sculpture It measures 80 H 3 40 W 3 40 D and is attached to a solid marble base. Made of brass, and colored using a special process to create patina finishes that will not rub off or fade. You’ll love this one! Item #90705 Price $44.95 Belize Bracelets These handcrafted bracelets are made by talented c rafters in Sarteneja, Belize. A portion of the proceeds goes back to supporting Wildtracks, Belize’s only manatee rehabilitation facility. Please note that colors may vary, as each bracelet is a unique, h andmade, hand-painted item. Select blue or brown bracelet. Item #90409 Price $20.95 Roly Poly Manatee Pin This whimsical pin captures the manatee’s wonderful “roly poly” essence. Made from recycled leadsafe pewter, and satin finished by hand. Measures 20 H 3 1.250 W. Made in the USA! Item #90362 Price $12.95 Visit shopsavethemanatee.org or call 1-800-432-JOIN (5646) to order today. 9 Manatee Change Purse Night Shirt This very elegant change purse is great for coins or any other small items, from contact lenses to headphones. They make a great gift for kids too. The water-resistant microfiber feels so soft and silky. The images (on both sides) are taken from oil paintings and pop with amazing detail and color. The perfect accessory to keep your purse organized. Measures 12 3 9.5 3 1 cm. Item #80082 Price $19.95 This nightshirt is really sweet, especially with its “double-meaning” message “No Wake Zone!” It’s 100% cotton and comes in Adult sizes Small/Medium and Large/X-Large. This is sure to make you smile! Item #91178 Price $9.95 Manatee Pouch With Detachable Velvet Strap This adorable Manatee Pouch can do just about everything! It will hold most tablets, and will fit in your laptop bag for h olding accessories. If you don’t want to carry a whole purse, remove the detachable strap, and you will have an easy-to-carry pouch that will hold all your essentials. It’s large enough to carry brushes and any makeup, so it’s great for travel or for being put into a purse for organization. And parents, what a great way to keep your children’s snacks, crayons, and the like all close at hand. It features a zippered closure and is made of an ultra-sturdy waterproof microfiber – feels so soft and silky. The image is on both sides. Item #91180 Price $19.95 Acrylic Note Pad Holder Keep your workspace b eautifully organized with this gorgeous sculptured acrylic note holder featuring manatees on three sides. Includes three 100-sheet pads to match. Made in the USA! Item #90180 Price $13.95 A Manatee Christmas Book A memorable story about a young manatee’s Christmas wish come true, by Tim Thomas. Beautifully illustrated, this picture book is written to the cadence of the poem that begins, ‘Twas the night before Christmas…’ Hard cover, 32 pages, full color. Item #1005 Price $15.95 10 The Florida Manatee By Roger L. Reep (a member of our Board of Directors) and Robert K. Bonde, manatee researchers with decades of e xperience. The book covers the manatee’s evolutionary history, population dynamics, threats posed by people, and more. With superb illustrations and photos. Hard or soft cover, 189 pages. For adult readers. The authors donate all their proceeds from the sale of this book to young investigators doing manatee research. Item #1012 (hard cover) Price $34.95 Item #1004 (soft cover) Price $24.95 Manny The Talking Manatee Wow! A talking manatee plush toy that educates while it enter tains. What a great idea! We love this, and you will too! Buy one for yourself, and then buy some for the kids in your life. This one is really, really cute! Measures 190 in length. Item #90080 Price $19.95 Hand Blown Glass Pendant Hand blown, this beautiful borosolicate glass manatee is made from cobalt blue glass. The pendant comes on an 180 black satin cord with barrel clasp. The manatee measures approximately 1-1/20 in length, but sizes and colors may vary slightly because each is hand made. Each is unique with no two pendants exactly alike. Comes in a gift box. Made in the USA! Item #90355 Price $25.95 Visit shopsavethemanatee.org or call 1-800-432-JOIN (5646) to order today. Hand Blown Glass Earrings These hand-sculpted borosilicate glass earrings are made from cobalt blue glass. They measure approximately 10 in length and are on French hooks. Gorgeous! They make a stunning gift, accompanied by our glass necklace, for that special manatee lover. Made in the USA! Gentle Giant Plush Toy This exceptional stuffed toy measures an incredible 600 in length! This gentle giant is so soft and cuddly in a silver plush, making a wonderful gift for any manatee lover! Be sure to order this item early. Item #90089 Price $250.00 Item #90455 Price $25.95 Puzzle You’ll have hours of fun working on this 550-piece puzzle with a beautiful manatee image by marine wildlife artist William Bock. Finished size is 180 H 3 240 W, and it’s suitable for framing. Not for children under 3 years of age. Made in the USA! Item #99018 Price $17.95 Small Manatee Spoon Rest This cute manatee spoon rest is made from stoneware and is extremely strong and durable. It is dishwasher, oven, and food safe. Contains NO LEAD. Made in the USA! Item #98006 Price $21.95 I’m A Manatee Book Written by actor John Lithgow. An enchanting story about a little boy who dreams he is a manatee. This story will make a believer out of readers of all ages! Accompanying CD has John Lithgow singing the words to the book in a catchy “sing along” tune. This book and CD set is certifiably fun! Paperback, 32 pages. Item #1015 Price $12.95 Wine Bottle Holder Hand-painted poly resin d esign features excellent detail and realism. Holds a wine bottle or your favorite bottle of soda, whiskey, beer, etc. A great conversation piece, they look fantastic with any decor. Measures 80 H 3 110 L. Comes boxed. Item #98010 Price $30.95 Boxer Shorts And Tank Top The next step in our “pajama line,” this comfy tank top and boxer shorts are 100% cotton. Great for lounging and for sleeping, you’ll love them! Available in adult sizes S, M, L, and XL. Boxer Shorts Only: Item #50010 Price $14.95 Tank Top Only: Item #60010 Price $14.95 How to Order: •O rder online at shopsavethemanatee.org where you can also view more merchandise for sale. • Order by phone. Call toll-free 1-800-432-JOIN (5646) in the United States and Canada. For International Orders, call 407-539-0990. Our office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST. • Should you wish to pay by check, please call us toll-free for your shipping costs at 1-800-432-JOIN (5646). • All orders shipped to a Florida address will be charged a 6.5% sales tax. Visit shopsavethemanatee.org or call 1-800-432-JOIN (5646) to order today. 11 Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE Save the Manatee® Club 500 N. Maitland Ave., Maitland, FL 32751 U.S.A. Electronic Service Requested PAID Orlando, Florida Permit No. 51022 Printed on recycled paper If you see an injured manatee, call 1-888-404-FWCC, #FWC or *FWC, or use VHF Channel 16 on your marine radio. Please Donate Now: Save the Manatee® Club, Inc. To read about the highlights of the Club’s impressive accomplishments, go to savethemanatee.org/smcinfo. Our work is only possible with your help. Please continue your generous support at savethemanatee.org/donation, or call us at 1-800-432-JOIN (5646) to help us continue our ongoing efforts to protect manatees and their aquatic habitat. Thank you! Board of Directors Co-Chairs Jimmy Buffett and Helen Spivey Executive Director – Patrick Rose, Aquatic Biologist Newsletter Editor – Terry Nearing Staff Star Gazing Follow Nature’s Celebrities at Blue Spring State Park, Florida Membership Services Representatives: Judy Bower, Barbara Logan and Carla Wilson Director of Finance & Planned Giving. . . . . . . . Ray Barr Director of Development. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Juliet Fletcher Director of Operations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Connie Graham Manatee Specialist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wayne Hartley Staff Biologist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kelsey Jennings Catalog/Mailroom Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . Melody Lang Director of Public Relations . . . . . . . . . . Janice Nearing Bookkeeper/Office Manager. . . . . . . . . . Paula Roberts Administrative Assistant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sandra Rogers Director of Online Communications . . . Nancy Sadusky Director of Science & Conservation. . . . Dr. Katie Tripp SMC receives 100% of each charitable contribution. SC-03550. All rights reserved. Live Manatee Webcams at www.savethemanatee.org/livecams 12 Photo © Patrick M. Rose savethemanatee.org 1-800-432-JOIN (5646)