Alabama <strong>Manatee</strong> Adoptee Movements And New Dock SignsBy Dr. Ruth Carmichael and Nicole Taylor, Dauphin Island Sea LabZewie, tagged in Alabama,migrated to Florida inwinter 2010 and returnedto Alabama this pastspring. He made <strong>the</strong> 400 mile tripin one month and was sighted inDog River in April. Dog River is aknown manatee hotspot in Alabamaand where Zewie was first tagged in2010. This summer, Zewie surprisedresearchers by traveling betweenMobile <strong>Bay</strong>, Mississippi, and LakePontchartrain, Louisiana.Bama, also tagged in Alabama,wintered in Florida and beganher return to <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn Gulf ofMexico in February. Bama traveledto one of her favorite spots, Apalachicola<strong>Bay</strong>, where she stayed forseveral months. Bama’s tag stoppedtransmitting in June and was laterfound in pieces (possibly hit by aboat). Bama’s fate was unknownuntil mid-August, when researcherssighted her (safe and sound) as partof a mating herd in RattlesnakeFour manatees swim in Rattlesnake <strong>Bay</strong>ou, Alabama in August 2011.Photo by Nicole Taylor.<strong>Bay</strong>ou, Alabama.As we continue our effortsto track all manatees sighted inAlabama, we are very pleased with<strong>the</strong> success of Alabama’s new docksignage program, made possibleby <strong>the</strong> <strong>Club</strong> and <strong>the</strong> U.S. Fish &Wildlife Service. We distributedover 50 signs in Alabama andMississippi and received manysighting reports in return.Amber Is Successful! By Wayne Hartley, <strong>Manatee</strong> SpecialistDespite <strong>the</strong> lack of specific newsabout our Blue Spring adoptees, wedo have something exciting to share.Amber bir<strong>the</strong>d a calf around noon onJune 13th in <strong>the</strong> Spring Run. Here’s<strong>the</strong> back story: On March 5th, 2001,a manatee named Ann brought inyoung twins. On March 13th, I foundAmber, one of <strong>the</strong> twins, in <strong>the</strong> swimarea alone. Sea World was notified,and by <strong>the</strong> next afternoon Amberwas on <strong>the</strong> way <strong>the</strong>re.Amber and new calf toge<strong>the</strong>r at Blue Spring State Park. Photo courtesyWayne Hartley.Amber was ultimately releasedin February 2009 and later returnedto Blue Spring on December 8th.Amber gave birth to a still-born calfin late February 2010.When Amber calved again onJune 13, 2011 and stayed at BlueSpring, she was watched closely.Observers thought she might not benursing her calf normally. A watchwas begun by researchers who wereable to confirm that Amber’s calfwas nursing. Soon after, Amberbegan taking her calf into <strong>the</strong> swimarea, and <strong>the</strong> Park Staff didn’t have<strong>the</strong> resources to maintain <strong>the</strong> Parkand baby-sit a manatee. The <strong>Club</strong>ga<strong>the</strong>red some volunteers to watch<strong>the</strong> manatees and attempt to limitinteractions between swimmers andAmber or her calf. After a couplemore weekend appearances, Ambertook her calf and went out into <strong>the</strong>river – much to <strong>the</strong> delight of ParkStaff. The pair was last seen bycontinued on page 123