Sarasolo was found in Philippi Creek in Sarasota County as a male calf with cold stress. He was 181 centimeters long and weighed 276 pounds at his rescue on March 2, 2015. He was brought to Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa to recuperate and then transferred to South Florida Museum for continued care. He has now grown to 243 centimeters and 668 pounds. Sarasolo was released on February 2, 2017, at TECO power plant in Tampa and will be monitored by Sea To Shore Alliance.

1. 08/07/2017 12:43 PM

   • He was originally found socializing and then cavorting in a big group of 10 other animals near the surface at E.G. Simmons Park.  Even with the distraction he milled a little way away when approached for his tag exchange although it didn't seem to bother the others at all, but after a few minutes he tolerated an approach.  A small wad of fishing line had become entangled below the tag, so the process was a bit longer with cutting that off, but now his equipment is clean again.  All had been forgiven by the end and he followed me back to the boat.  He was given an in-water body condition and looks very good, with some definite roundness of his belly and no ventral folds of skin.  His new tag is green and yellow.

2. 08/04/2017 02:50 PM

   • Sarasolo was again very social, participating in a cavorting group in the northern area of the central canal of the park.  The group slowly separated and Sarasolo milled to the mangroves at the bank with a few others.

3. 07/29/2017 02:32 PM

   • He was seen actively participating in a mating herd, with some other animals in another group on the sidelines, probably with a total of 10.  During calmer periods they would socialize at the surface and on bottom.

4. 07/22/2017 11:12 AM

   • Sarasolo was seen west of the boat ramp at E.G. Simmons Park, milling around for about 15 minutes before he began to travel west and then found a place to bottom rest. Regular breath intervals were between 8 and 9 minutes. After about 30 minutes he woke and joined 3 other animals for some socialization--nuzzling noses and rubbing against each other.

5. 07/14/2017 11:39 AM

   • He was first seen feeding with a group of 5 others near the center of a canal on the northwest side of E.G. Simmons Park.  The group split off into 2 who stayed with Sarasolo and the other 2 who milled closer to shore, and socialized near the surface interspersed with occasional feeding.  Sarasolo and the 2 others then milled over to the bank beneath mangrove branches.  It was a quiet day in the park, with no boat traffic in the area.

6. 07/05/2017 03:26 PM

   • Sarasolo stayed quietly on the bottom by himself near the end of a canal on the east side of E.G. Simmons Park, typically a hotspot.  He was approached for an in-water body condition and looks the same as he did previously, with a flat stomach that had no folds.  Body condition was good and there was still fat around the peduncle.  He began milling along the east bank of the canal heading back up north, and could have been browsing on mangrove roots.

7. 07/02/2017 10:24 AM

   • First spotted Sarasolo milling along some mangroves in a canal in E.G. Simmons Park, but not eating. One animal approached him and they began interacting, then moved away from the mangroves. Another animal was eating and I guess saw all the fun they were having and decided to join them. They mainly were nosing each other, were playful, and proceeded to socialize throughout most of my visual.

8. 06/24/2017 01:24 PM

   • He was seen in a canal at E.G. Simmons Park within a group of 5 others. Very social with one small animal for entire visual.  Nose to nose, nibbling on each other, following each other.  Other animals would join them and then leave again. Sarasolo has no new scars and very little algae on his dorsal surface.

9. 06/16/2017 02:15 PM

   • Sarasolo moved steadily southeast down a small branch of the lower part of Little Manatee River with 2 others.  They were meandering more than traveling but kept moving south along the south bank.  Lots of vegetation along the banks.

10. 06/10/2017 03:30 PM

    • Sarasolo socialized and milled with one other animal in upper Little Manatee River, in the Ruskin Inlet.

11. 06/06/2017 10:02 AM

    • Sarasolo was seen east of Sand Key in Tampa Bay with 2 other animals, within a quarter mile of Ice Cube plus three others. As storms were coming in and the wind was picking up it appeared as if both were heading back into Little Manatee River after milling around for a bit with other animals. Lots of seagrass available in the area.

12. 05/31/2017 11:20 AM

    • He was observed at the end of one of the canals at E.G. Simmons Park with 6 adults and one calf. All the animals in the canal were cavorting and/or socializing for the entire visual.  Spy-hopping, rolling, lifting their heads out of the water...non stop. Fun visual!

13. 05/23/2017 01:44 PM

    • He was feeding at E.G. Simmons Park near the entrance to Little Manatee River with one other animal when we spotted him. He fed on vegetation on the water’s surface for a good 30 minutes before he milled around, perhaps looking for more food, then began to eat again.

14. 05/17/2017 11:50 AM

    • Sarasolo was seen in Little Manatee River near Camp Bayou, going back and forth between milling and socializing with one other animal.

15. 05/09/2017 12:58 PM

    • Sarasolo has been exploring south and made it to Little Manatee River! He was milling with two other animals when I spotted him and socialized with them part of the time as well.

16. 05/03/2017 12:41 PM

    • Sarasolo was first seen milling along the bank at the end of the canal within E.G. Simmons Park.  There is still tons of vegetation there.  He milled slowly into a tiny, tight mangrove-lined canal but fortunately I was able to quietly follow him in the kayak.  He fed on mangroves for about 15 minutes, then slowly milled out again and socialized with 2 other animals there.  There were a lot of manatees within the canals:  one other group surface-resting as well as a mating herd.

17. 04/29/2017 03:15 PM

    • Sarasolo and a few of the others in his group fed on syringonium and algae near the bank of a canal in E.G. Simmons Park. They eventually settled down on bottom but didn't go to sleep, staying close enough that they were likely socializing.

18. 04/26/2017 10:46 AM

    • Sarasolo was seen milling with 3 other animals toward the end of TECO canal, then he proceeded to travel east of the preserve with 1 other animal. There were 7 other animals in the area.

19. 04/17/2017 12:10 PM

    • Sarasolo and 5 other animals were found bottom-resting in a canal within E.G. Simmons Park in Tampa Bay.  I approached him for an in-water body condition and fortunately he tolerated it well, turning slowly to me but allowing me to feel him.  He looks very good, with a slightly rounded belly and some fat around his peduncle and shoulders.  Within the canals there is a large variety of food, and on that day it was quiet as far as boaters and people.

20. 04/10/2017 10:01 AM

    • Sarasolo and two other animals were milling in a canal off the golf course at Apollo Beach.

21. 04/09/2017 12:55 PM

    • There were only about 10 animals at TECO this afternoon.  Sarasolo was very social in one of two groups, and the animals with him at the surface were grabbing his tag.

22. 04/04/2017 12:45 PM

    • Sarasolo was first spotted entering the boat ramp area of E.G. Simmons Park from the bay. He was by himself and milled around for a while, then began to travel into the canal of Mangrove Point. A lot of smaller fishing boats in the area, but they did not get close and didn’t seem to change his behavior.

23. 04/01/2017 01:03 PM

    • Sarasolo was spotted alone just north of the Little Harbor Pier in Tampa Bay. He was by himself and milling for about 25 minutes before traveling southwest further into the bay.

24. 03/26/2017 11:47 AM

    • Sarasolo was milling with 13 other animals in the canal at TECO, and staying in the general area between the boardwalk and viewing platform at the viewing center. Very few animals hanging out in the area today.

25. 03/21/2017 10:23 AM

    • Sarasolo was very active today! At first he was resting on bottom in the TECO viewing area with regular breaths every 7-8 minutes. After about 20 minutes he began socializing with two other animals, one which kept mouthing his tag. He then proceeded to chase an animal into a cavorting group of 5 others and participated for a few minutes before swimming away and socializing in other groups. At least 100 other animals in the outflow today.

26. 03/18/2017 12:00 PM

    • Sarasolo was resting on bottom and then milling around within the group at TECO.

27. 03/16/2017 11:49 AM

    • Sarasolo was socializing with two other animals at TECO when first spotted, then proceeded to mill around the canal about halfway from the viewing center.

28. 03/15/2017 01:33 PM

    • Sarasolo was an early arriver at TECO among a group of more than 30 animals in the afternoon.  Some were surface-resting by the viewing platform, but Sarasolo and 10 other adults his size or larger were actively traveling together halfway down the canal. Water temperature at TECO was 28 C.

29. 03/10/2017 12:25 PM

    • Sarasolo was observed traveling mostly by himself within the Teco power plant outflow area, though there were around 20 other animals there. He traveled west along the seawall past the smokestacks and then moved back towards the mangroves. He milled for around 45 minutes along the seawall.

30. 02/28/2017 10:38 AM

    • Sarasolo was observed traveling by himself into the boat ramp area at E.G. Simmons Park from Tampa Bay. A boat was idling toward him as they were going out into the bay and he paid no attention. He milled around the boat ramp area, then left and traveled south into the canal between the park and Mangrove Point.

31. 02/20/2017 10:23 AM

    • Sarasolo was observed milling with one other animal in the TECO canal at first, then rested on the bottom for half an hour.  When he woke he was seen milling and socializing with 4-5 animals in the canal.  Around 50 other animals were in the discharge today.

32. 02/16/2017 11:32 AM

    • Sarasolo was observed milling with 2 animals at TECO power plant in the early afternoon. He socialized with the 2 animals, going between the first outflow and viewing deck at TECO.  At least 50 other animals at the discharge that day.

33. 02/13/2017 11:41 AM

    • Sarasolo was first observed traveling north by himself in the Apollo Beach Nature Preserve, then stopped to eat mangroves for about 45 minutes on the south side of the manatee viewing trail/boardwalk.  He is definitely ahead of the curve, feeding this soon after his release, as most naive manatees do not begin feeding on natural vegetation for several weeks directly after release.

34. 02/09/2017 01:00 PM

    • Sarasolo was observed traveling from outside TECO into the power plant outflow early in the afternoon.  He was seen cavorting with one animal in the viewing area, then traveled back down the waterway towards Tampa Bay.  Respirations were 1-2 minutes apart when traveling.

35. 02/05/2017 10:23 AM

    • He was milling east of Apollo Beach Nature Preserve, south of TECO canal entry with about 12-15 other animals around him. Since his release on 2/2/17, he has been traveling in and out of the canals and not venturing too far into the bay or for very long when he does.

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