Sarge is a male manatee rescued in Green Cove Springs in November 2013 for cold stress.  He was 203 cm long and weighed 346 lbs at the time of rescue.  He was transported to SeaWorld Florida for rehabilitation, and as of December 9, 2014, he was 230 cm long and weighed 715 lbs.  Sarge was released at Blue Spring State Park on January 20, 2015 and weighed 750 lbs at the time. 

1. 11/27/2015 08:47 AM

   • Among the group of animals that responded to the season's first cold front and showed up at Blue Spring the morning of 11/26/15, Sarge was seen socializing and participating in a mating herd by Cora Berchem (Save the Manatee Club), although we weren't immediately able to confirm it was him.  After confirming that it was Sarge, and that he looked very good, his equipment was cut off and he was deemed a successful graduate of the program.

2. 06/11/2015 03:27 PM

   • Sarge has left the Lake Dexter area and we are continuing to search for him in the St. Johns River. 

3. 06/08/2015 09:30 AM

   • Sarge was located again in Lake Dexter via belt, but traveled and milled west across the lake to the edge of the channel and then back.  I’m continuing efforts to exchange his tag. 

4. 06/07/2015 10:20 AM

   • Sarge’s tag stopped working on 6/05/15, and he was found via belt in Lake Dexter on Sunday morning participating in a mating herd with 10 other animals.  Several large gators were in the immediate area growling and presenting their backs, so a tag exchange or re-tagging was not possible at the time. 

5. 05/20/2015 12:32 PM

   • Sarge was milling and traveling by himself just north of Little Lake George on the east bank.  In response to a brief alligator bite on his tag and the gator immediately letting the tag go, Sarge dove and traveled north, appearing to be fine.  We anticipate seeing an increased visible presence of gators as it is mating season right now. 

6. 05/11/2015 10:16 AM

   • Sarge and one other animal traveled continuously from about a quarter of the way down Dunns Creek south toward Crescent Lake.  They kept mainly close to the banks and Sarge’s tag did not often break the surface. 

7. 04/15/2015 12:47 PM

   • Sarge was seen milling in Palatka across from Brown’s Landing with one other animal. 

8. 04/03/2015 11:50 AM

   • He was seen feeding on tape grass on bottom on the southeast bank east of Murphy Creek.  He was with 3 others, and one more animal was seen about 250 ft away as well.  They stayed together and socialized after feeding, then milled north along the bank.  I also talked with a family fishing in their boat, and their sons were telling me that their science teacher mentioned that rescued manatees are sometimes tagged and tracked.  It’s great to know that our tagged animals are being mentioned in schools! 

9. 03/31/2015 03:02 PM

   • A citizen reported seeing Sarge milling with one other animal in San Mateo, south of Horseshoe Point.  Later in the afternoon the two fed on eel grass on the east bank. 

10. 03/20/2015 02:02 PM

    • Sarge was observed by himself just north of Lake Dexter on the east bank out of channel.  At first sighting he was possibly feeding on water lettuce and pennewort but unfortunately could not confirm.  Then he traveled and milled north up the east bank, close to the bank, stopping by vegetation but again feeding could not be confirmed. 

11. 03/08/2015 09:10 AM

    • In a group of about 8 other animals, Sarge cavorted and then socialized at Blue Spring west of the swim area.  There were 30 animals total in the run after a cool front. 

12. 03/07/2015 04:45 PM

    • Sarge rested on bottom just inside the entrance to Blue Spring in the late afternoon.  There were 6 other animals in the run that morning. 

13. 02/25/2015 01:36 PM

    • Sarge was found traveling along Norris Dead River by himself south of Blue Peter Lake.  He was going north toward Lake Woodruff.  No other animals were seen in Norris Dead River along the way, but he did travel this route before in January. 

14. 02/19/2015 11:00 AM

    • Some mats of floating vegetation had drifted in to the spring’s entrance from the river, and Sarge was feeding on them during the majority of the visual with three others--the first time he has been seen feeding since his release.  Then he traveled back into the springs with the three towards the boil. 

15. 02/14/2015 08:40 AM

    • Sarge milled and socialized with a group of about 10 animals at the boil of Blue Spring, with other animals occasionally chewing on his tag.  Then he settled down to bottom-rest. 

16. 02/13/2015 12:19 PM

    • Sarge started out at the boil socializing with a group of adults including Pixie.  Eventually he milled down the spring run and was later socializing near the entrance. 

17. 02/10/2015 10:18 AM

    • Both Sarge and Pixie were in the springs directly across from the second observation deck with 15-20 others and 2-3 calves.   Sarge spent a lot of time quietly on the bottom but socialized throughout and spent a lot of time with his head out of the water face to face with one other. 

18. 02/06/2015 08:25 AM

    • This morning Sarge was socializing at the boil with 11 others including Pixie, 10 adults and one calf, mouthing each other and occasionally barrel-rolling. 

19. 01/27/2015 12:30 PM

    • Today he socialized at the boil of the spring with 8 other animals including Pixie, then milled around and lost his tag on the large snag at the boil.  He traveled down the spring run toward the swim dock and was re-tagged there while socializing in another large group.  Thanks very much to Cora from Save The Manatee Club and Diane for all their help with this! 

20. 01/25/2015 11:30 AM

    • Sarge responded to the drop in temperature Saturday night and returned to Blue Spring late this morning.  Once there he milled around at a relaxed pace, socializing in groups.  He appears to now have a thin scratch on his left shoulder, but otherwise looks good. 

21. 01/23/2015 01:57 PM

    • Sarge left Blue Spring the evening of his release on 1/20/15 and went up to Lake Woodruff.  Today he was seen socializing and traveling in Harry’s Creek just west of Lake Woodruff with one other animal. 

Data map is currently not present for Sarge.