About Truffleshuffle

Gender: Male
Current Tag Id:

Truffleshuffle was rescued as an orphan calf in Largo, Pinellas County, Florida on November 27, 2018. He was 170 centimeters long and weighed 205 pounds at the time of his rescue. Truffleshuffle was transported to Sea World of Florida for care. He was transferred to Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden to continue his rehabilitation. He was released on February 15, 2021, at TECO in Hillsborough County. He was 251 centimeters in length and weighed 605 pounds. He will be monitored by Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute

  1. 04/18/2021 11:15 AM

    • Truffleshuffle’s tag stopped transmitting just north of the mouth of the Alafia River. We will continue to look for him in hopes of getting him back on line.

  2. 04/14/2021 08:30 AM

    • Truffleshuffle was traveling into a sheltered cove off Hillsborough Bay. The cove was erupting in cavorting groups scattered around it. Truffleshuffle moved to each one, participating briefly before moving on to the next. He finally settled into a small group sedately socializing. Eventually all the hullabaloo ceased and Truffleshuffle was able to find a quiet spot to rest in.

  3. 04/05/2021 08:00 AM

    • TruffleShuffle crossed the bay over the weekend and was exploring the Ballast Point area. He milled around the pier, checking out all the submerged rocks and pilings. He began traveling again following the seawall for a time before turning back out into the bay and seemed to be heading back across.

  4. 03/30/2021 08:00 AM

    • TruffleShuffle was traveling out of a creek into Tampa Bay. He was racing an outgoing tide and when he made it to the deeper water, he took a rest. A couple manatees caught his attention and he engaged with them briefly before they took to feeding. There is a small channel in this area that maintains good water level and as the tide bottomed out, they maneuvered to it making their way to a sheltered cove that TruffleShuffle frequents. 

  5. 03/26/2021 12:00 PM

    • Truffleshuffle made his first appearance at TECO since his release. His tag was visible meandering down the canal with a few other animals. He arrived at the first discharge and milled around until finding a suitable sunny spot to surface rest.

  6. 03/24/2021 10:30 AM

    • Truffleshuffle returned to the bay and was just south of the mouth of the Alafia River. From the way he was tossing his head he was feeding. At one point he took off fast and did a loop around the cove he was in. Though no other manatees were observed his actions seemed like he was interacting with something. After tiring of whatever caught his attention he returned to his original spot and began feeding again. An approach for a body condition assessment confirmed he was eating Grassilaria but little else due to the sediment he was stirring up

  7. 03/21/2021 08:30 AM

    • Truffleshuffle was traveling down the Alafia River after having spent some time in a spring nearby. He stopped near a dock where another manatee was resting and engaged briefly. The other manatee did not seem that interested in him, so he milled around by the shore then under the dock. He then continued traveling down river.

  8. 03/10/2021 07:00 AM

    • With this last cold front TruffleShuffle found refuge in the TECO Bayside plant. He was socializing in the discharge canal with several other manatees. According to plant staff manatees sit outside the discharge waiting their turn to get in. Between that and the copious amounts of foam on the surface, this is as close to a rave as manatees are likely to get.

  9. 03/04/2021 12:30 PM

    • TruffleShuffle was cavorting with another manatee in a sheltered cove off Hillsborough Bay. He zoomed around chasing and being chased. Finally, they settled down to feed for a while. TruffleShuffle traveled a little further out to deeper water then continued feeding.

  10. 03/01/2021 07:30 AM

    • TruffleShuffle was in a shallow area of Hillsborough Bay and was moving out in advance of the receding tide. He was followed by his new shadow Viva. When he reached a spot he liked he stopped and socialized with Viva and another mom/calf pair. He then continued to move on to an area with some thick grass and began to feed.

  11. 02/25/2021 09:45 AM

    • TruffleShuffle has been exploring the eastern edge of Tampa Bay. Today he was north of Apollo Beach with zipping around after other manatees. He settled down in an area where manatees were clearly feeding with lots of head tossing. Though TruffleShuffle was in the midst of them, it could not be confirmed whether he was eating also. The only time his head came up it was smushed into the nose of another manatee coming up at the same time. All the manatees, including TruffleShuffle quieted down and rested for a long time. Right before the end of the observation TruffleShuffle started to stir and traveled towards shore.

  12. 02/16/2021 01:00 PM

    • After his release Truffleshuffle left TECO and today was just outside the TECO canal. He was cavorting with three other manatees including Dex and Retale. The three tagged manatees were charging around the sound keeping in a tight formation. Their antics continued for most of the observation until they separated slightly and appeared to be resting.

Data map is currently not present for Truffleshuffle.