Protect endangered manatees. Save the Manatee Club

Manatee research has been conducted at Blue Spring State Park for over three decades on a continuous basis resulting in one of the longest running databases in existence on the endangered Florida manatee. A park service specialist, Ranger Wayne Hartley, has been the project's principal investigator since 1980 under the auspices of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Geological Survey's Sirenia Project. We are looking for first year funding for Mr. Hartley's salary and research equipment, such as cameras, because he is retiring from the Park Service and it is very important that his vital research continue.

Mr. Hartley's research data will also help to protect Blue Spring from pollution and from a decrease in spring flow levels due to excessive ground and surface water withdrawals. His research has already resulted in a huge body of knowledge on the manatee's life history. This data has already been used by state and federal governments for conservation efforts.