Jedi was found in the St Lucie River in Stuart in Martin County as a male orphaned calf on March 3, 2016. He was 171 centimeters long and weighed 150 pounds at his rescue. He was brought to Miami Seaquarium to recuperate and then transferred to Columbus Zoo for continued care. He has now grown to 650 pounds and 236 centimeters long. He was released near Willoughby Creek in St Lucie County on January 17, 2018, and will be monitored by Sea To Shore Alliance.

1. 05/09/2018 09:25 AM

   • Jedi was hanging out on bottom with a small group of the 20-some animals in a marina in Ft Pierce.  He moved a little when I got in the water but tolerated an approach and an in-water body condition fairly well.  Jedi is lean but doesn't yet have ventral folds, and has a flat stomach.  Since he has been feeding, hopefully we will see him continue to fill out more.  Little aggregations of syringonium had floated into the marina from outside. 

2. 05/06/2018 10:45 AM

   • I first found Jedi and one other animal milling between two residential docks on the west bank of Indian River across from Snapper Cut. He then fed for the rest of the visual, on syringonium and halodule. Vegetation was also observed floating to the surface. Respirations were 2-4 minutes apart.

3. 05/02/2018 09:26 AM

   • Jedi was in a group of 4 other manatees at the Riverside Marina in Ft Pierce. All were mostly bottom resting but some frolicking was observed.  Jedi was not involved in that but remained closely associated with the group. His head and dorsal body shape look good.  This is a very quiet marina with mostly stationary and live aboard boats. He has been frequenting this marina since last weekend and heads out onto the grass flats at night.

4. 04/29/2018 10:55 AM

   • Jedi was observed traveling north along the western bank of Indian River near Riverside Marina during the entire visual. There was heavy boat traffic, but Jedi kept his distance and remained out of the channel. He was by himself.

5. 04/25/2018 08:00 AM

   • Jedi and 3 other manatees were in a cove on the west bank of Indian River in Vero Beach.  Jedi would not let the boat approach him, but the others in the group were feeding and from the tag movements it looked like he was feeding as well.

6. 04/16/2018 12:41 PM

   • A few other animals stopped by the canal at Harbor Branch and burrowed down into the muck on bottom. Jedi spent the visual close to the sea wall near the surface. He has been drinking from the pipe in the canal.

7. 04/10/2018 11:39 AM

   • Jedi was bottom resting by himself in the canal at Harbor Branch. Respiration rates while resting were 11 minutes at longest.

8. 04/05/2018 11:00 AM

   • He was joined by a mother-calf pair and one other animal in the Harbor Branch canal, socializing near the surface. Jedi’s face looks good, with solid gray coloration, as does his dorsal surface.

9. 04/01/2018 01:07 PM

   • Jedi milled and socialized in the Harbor Branch canal in Vero Beach with one other animal for the entire visual. Gas was noted from him later in the afternoon to verify he has been feeding.

10. 03/29/2018 10:45 AM

    • Jedi was tucked in at the end of a narrow residential canal in Vero Beach on the east bank of Indian River. He was by himself and stayed quietly on bottom, with normal 4-6 minute respiration intervals. Good shape to head and dorsal side, and will be trying for in-water body condition soon.

11. 03/24/2018 10:13 AM

    • I found Jedi in a nice quiet canal today north of the causeway bridge in Ft Pierce. He was bottom resting in a large group of at least 30 animals, far away from boat traffic. A few dolphins were hunting nearby, but it didn’t seem to disturb anyone in the group. Respiration intervals were 9-10 minutes.

12. 03/17/2018 12:12 PM

    • Jedi was observed milling at the south end of Manatee Pocket near the marina. He found two other animals in the area to socialize with before traveling back north with one of them.

13. 03/13/2018 02:49 PM

    • Jedi was re-tagged at Willoughby Creek today.  He was spotted by FWC while they were there doing photo ID.  He was with a group of at least 40 and fortunately still looks good.  It was also great to see him in a social group and using Willoughby Creek.

14. 03/06/2018 09:10 AM

    • Survey flight for Jedi.  Buddy saw lots of manatees from the air from Ft Pierce inlet north almost to Wabasso, but none with a belt.  Elizabeth and I soniced the canals from Round Island going north and also saw lots of manatees, but no Jedi.  Hopefully he will be sighted.

15. 02/27/2018 09:41 AM

    • Jedi lost his tag south of Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in Vero Beach. We are actively trying to relocate him via his belt.

16. 02/17/2018 12:05 PM

    • Jedi was observed in a canal on the east side of Indian River north of Round Island, bottom resting during the entire visual. His respirations were 8 minutes apart.

17. 02/10/2018 11:05 AM

    • Jedi was observed traveling north up the west bank of the Indian River near Blind Creek. An adult manatee was spotted nearby, and the two continued to travel north together. Jedi then reached shallower depths and changed direction, swimming east into the river. His respirations were 3 minutes apart.

18. 02/09/2018 10:31 AM

    • He was seen by himself on the west bank of Indian River across from Big Mud Creek. This looked like exploratory traveling today.  At first he was headed south down the west bank of the river, stopping to investigate things though not feeding.  He stayed put in one area briefly before changing directions and going back north.  Respiration rate 3 min.  Macroalgae and mangroves seem to be what is available right in this area as far as vegetation, but if he continues north to the Ft Pierce area there is some halodule.

19. 02/01/2018 12:30 PM

    • Jedi spent most of the morning in the canal in the South Fork of St Lucie River, north of the 714 bridge. He was by himself and milling in an exploratory way, then traveled to the next southerly canal.  Occasionally he would surface with his nose covered in muck, so apparently he has learned the burrowing into the muck trick, though water temperatures were not cold. His face continues to look good, solid in color. Respirations 2.5 minutes apart while active.

20. 01/30/2018 08:05 AM

    • Jedi was by himself, slowly milling along the tree line on the west bank of a canal in Pendarvis Cove.  His face was visible and still looks good--solid grey.  He milled halfway down the canal and then found a deeper spot in the center where he settled down to bottom-rest.

21. 01/28/2018 09:27 AM

    • Jedi’s location this morning was around Bessey Creek in the St Lucie River, but then he began traveling so a search of that area and the nearby canals for several hours was not fruitful. His next position was further east back towards the main branch of the St Lucie River.

22. 01/24/2018 12:45 PM

    • Jedi was initially observed alone and hanging out quietly on bottom in the south fork of the St Lucie River north of Pendarvis Cove Park, then began to mill near another animal. He left by himself and traveled alone south into a canal to meet up with a different animal. He left again but moved only part of the way out of the canal and stayed still on bottom. River temperature was 19.5 Celsius, and in canals 20 Celsius. Respirations when active were 2 minutes apart, and when stationary up to 5 minutes apart. His nose looks good, still solid grey with no blisters or paleness.

23. 01/21/2018 11:15 AM

    • Jedi was observed socializing with another animal in the south fork of St Lucie River on the west bank. He socialized for the entire visual, and his respirations were approximately 2.5 minutes apart. Water temperature there was 18.5 Celsius.

24. 01/20/2018 09:15 AM

    • This morning Jedi was back at the end of Krueger Creek, having spent the night there. Water temperature there was still 18.5C and his respiration rates were 3-4 minutes apart. He soon began milling north down the creek again, still by himself.

25. 01/19/2018 11:10 AM

    • After traveling to the entrance of Willoughby Creek and back, then west to the US 1 bridge and back since release, Jedi has returned twice to his release site at Krueger Creek. Today he was seen still in water temperatures equal to the ambient river temperature, going up and down Krueger Creek. He passed through the warm (18.5C) end once and kept going up and back, and then settled down there for the last hour of the visual. At first his respirations were 1-2 minutes apart, then as time passed they settled down to 2-4 minutes apart. We are going to continue to monitor him through the weekend.

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