A Manatee, Cassie, was beloved by many volunteers and staff members who looked after her.
On Wednesday, April 8th, a manatee was found dead close to Blue Spring State
Park. Save the Manatee Club staff identified the manatee as Cassie, a female
manatee beloved by many volunteers and staff members who looked after her.
Unfortunately, no exact cause of death could be determined, since officials
are not currently performing manatee recoveries or necropsies due to a
current government order during the pandemic. A skeg scar from a motorboat
was on her back, suggesting a boat strike could have been the culprit.
Cassie was rescued as an orphaned calf from the Tomoka River near Ormond
Beach on August 26, 2015, and taken to SeaWorld Orlando for rehabilitation.
She joined another orphaned male calf named Buckeye, who was rescued from
the Halifax River near Daytona Beach. Both manatees received around the
clock critical care. Cassie and Buckeye were transferred in 2017 to the
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. The pair were the first two patients in the
Zoo’s Manatee Critical Care Center.
In March 2018, Cassie and Buckeye were fitted with satellite tracking
devices to be monitored by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute
after being released at Blue Spring State Park. As most manatees left Blue
Spring in the summer, Cassie and Buckeye remained there. This posed a
challenge for a team of Manatee Observer volunteers and park staff, who had
to prevent touching and harassment as swimmers, divers, and kayakers enjoyed
the spring. Cassie (and Buckeye) seemed to be quite acclimated to the
presence of people and often curiously approached swimmers or took naps
beneath the swim entrance’s stairs. By the following winter, Cassie
eventually behaved more like a healthy wild manatee, entering the spring run
only when it was cold and leaving to feed in the river when it warmed up.
Cassie could not have adapted to life in the wild so well without the help
of a dedicated team of wildlife care staff and Manatee Observer volunteers.
She delighted the public and was a perfect model for education about
manatees. Although her loss of life is heartbreaking, Cassie’s story is a
wonderful case study on the impact of harassment prevention in helping
released manatees become wild again, even when surrounded by people. She
served as a beacon of hope for manatees’ well-being after rescue,
rehabilitation, and release, and the power of teamwork and education. During
a time that is confusing and full of bad news, we invite you to celebrate
Cassie’s life and remember her as the sweet, curious manatee that made
people smile.
Save the Manatee Club would like to thank all of the volunteers and staff
members in the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership who contributed
to Cassie’s care.
Memories of Cassie:
While following Cassie in the kayak one day, she approached a woman and her
daughter in a tube. The woman was trying to be respectful and move the tube
away, but Cassie kept following her and nudging the tube. I started to tell
her about Cassie, explaining that she was an orphan, was rescued and
released, and was three years old. The woman looked at her daughter and
said, “Hey, she’s three and you’re three, you are the same age!” The mother
kept trying to put distance between them, but Cassie kept nudging the little
girl. What can you do when two kids are together…I think it was a magical
moment for all of them.
— Karen Ann Bunce, Manatee Observer Volunteer
One of my favorite memories of Cassie is was watching her and Buckeye one
weekday morning down in the spring boil. Buckeye was asleep in his favorite
corner, and Cassie was resting close to him. I was just floating towards the
middle of the boil when all of the sudden, Cassie surprised me by putting
one of her flippers up on my kayak. She popped her head up, looked at me,
and started to spin the kayak around in a circle. Then she went under me and
slightly lifted it up a little. The whole time I’m talking to her like she’s
my child, saying, “Now Cassie, behave yourself!” Every one of us who had the
privilege to spend time with her knows that Cassie had her own very unique
personality and just couldn’t help but love her!
— Jackie Cheers, Manatee
Observer Volunteer
One of my favorite memories with Cassie was when my cousin Rachel came to
visit us from Oregon. She’d never seen a manatee, so we put her in my
personal kayak, with our son in my husband’s kayak, while he and I were on
an Observer shift. Cassie and Buckeye came right up to Rachel, making sure
she got a great view and education about manatees to take back to Oregon
with her.
— Shari Dworkin-Smith, Manatee Observer Volunteer
She and Buckeye made quite a pair, and there was never a dull moment with
them in the spring. I will always remember Cassie and her introducing me to
the Manatee Observer program. She was certainly a good, and challenging,
mentor. Just shows that we must “double down” on our education efforts and
other protections for these gentle creatures.
— Mike Galyean, Manatee
Observer Volunteer
As a Manatee Observer Volunteer, I loved when Cassie’s presence made for an
educational opportunity with park visitors, especially those visiting from
other states and countries. While the volunteers gave a lot of time and
effort to keep her safe, she also gave back to us. She made plenty of people
smile, and she even provided great experience for me when I became a kayak
guide later that year. She was my favorite manatee and will be missed!
—
Ally Greco, Save the Manatee Club Staff and Volunteer
Two years ago I began as a volunteer with the Manatee Observer program.
Little did I know how much joy this would bring to my life. My first two
manatees to observe were Buckeye and Cassie. Like two peas in a pod, they
stayed side by side in the spring run for months. When I would arrive in the
morning to start my shift, I would see their GPS buoys and immediately begin
smiling. Cassie loved her stairs and spent many hours resting under them
during the busy swim season. She was a beautiful manatee. I got to see her
last year during the late summer, under the stairs at the swim platform. She
had lots of algae on her, but I know that meant she had gotten to travel and
see lots of new places. I will always have a place in my heart for sweet
Cassie. I am so sorry that she has passed over that rainbow bridge. I hope
she didn’t suffer. She will always be loved by me. Sweet manatee dreams in
heaven, Cassie.
— Melissa Landreville, Manatee Observer Volunteer
She was such a magnificent creature. I really miss being at the park and
watching the manatees. Especially during this difficult time. There is a
sense of peace on the spring, especially when there are manatees present,
that is like no other. I feel so fortunate to live in a place where we are
able to observe these incredible animals. It won’t be the same without
Cassie, though.
— Cheryl Hamilla, Manatee Observer Volunteer
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