Flicker joined the Adopt-A-Manatee program in the summer of 2001. She was first identified in 1983 at the power plant in Fort Myers. She spent the next winter there and was spotted in Charlotte Harbor during the following summer. Since 1993, Flicker has shown a preference for the Big Bend power plant in Apollo Beach, spending each winter there with visits across the Bay to the Bartow power plant (See Flickers favorite hangouts below). In February 1999, Flicker was seen with a calf. Flicker received her name due to the many propeller scars that look like flickering flames across her back. Her tail is misshaped from propeller injuries as well (See Flicker’s scar patterns below).

Flicker had a close call that almost prevented her from becoming an adopted manatee. During February 2000, the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC) received reports from residents of Coffeepot Bayou, Tampa Bay, of a manatee entangled in a crab trap line and buoy. When rescue staff investigated, they discovered the manatee was Flicker. She had the line caught around her mutilated tail, but this did not keep her from moving. Flicker carried the line with the buoy across Tampa Bay to Big Bend, a distance of almost 10 nautical miles! She then headed north of the plant and swam to the Alafia River, where she was further entangled in another homemade pot line and buoy. To complicate the situation, Flicker then became caught in two mooring lines attached to a houseboat.

Rescuing Flicker turned into a real adventure. She is a very big manatee. There was a real concern that she could sink a boat before she was untangled. In fact, an enforcement officer and a citizen came upon Flicker and attempted to help her. They managed to strip off one of the buoys, but Flicker almost swamped their boat – much to their great surprise! They wisely called for rescue personnel.

Flicker was able to surface for air and move about in a small area. This allowed the FWCC rescue staff time to plan the best way to free her from all the lines and the buoy still entangling her. But, rescuing Flicker still took three tries with much squeaking from her as she pulled the cleats and several planks off the houseboat. Finally Flicker was free with no serious injuries to her or her rescuers. She was seen several times later at Big Bend where she is doing fine.

Flicker’s entanglement had a happy ending as the enforcement officer called rescue staff to the scene. One of the first things done in rescuing an entangled manatee is to attach a tag to the entwined line. This allows rescuers to track the manatee if the animal moves away from disentanglement. Sometimes the public will attempt a rescue and free a manatee before reporting the situation. Unfortunately, there is often more line attached that could cause further injury to the manatee. The public is also at risk in assisting a large, strong manatee that may struggle during the rescue attempt. Rescuer staffs are fully trained to assess, document and remove all gear found on manatees with the least injury to the manatee.


If you find yourself in the Tampa Bay area, you can "visit" our manatee adoptee:
Tampa Electric Company’s Manatee Viewing Center
6990 Dickman Road
Apollo Beach, FL 33572
(813) 228-4289 for an information message

Directions: Take I-75 to Apollo Beach (Exit 47). Turn west on CR672/Big Bend Road. Travel 2.5 miles west to the curved intersection of Big Bend and Dickman Roads. The manatee-viewing center is on the right.

Some things to remember when you visit the Manatee Viewing Center:
- The Manatee viewing center is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., mid-November through the first week of April. The center is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.
- There is no charge for admission or parking at the Manatee Viewing Center.
- Reservations are available for groups of 30 or more.
- Retired Tampa Electric employees staff the Manatee Viewing Center.
- Please keep in mind that "our" adoptee is a wild animal with individual behavior. Some manatees come late and leave early, and they may skip a season at a warm water area. There is no guarantee she will be at Tampa Electric the day that you visit.
- When viewing Flicker, be sure to visit the Environmental Education Building, which features information and displays on manatees and their habitat.

For more information about manatees or manatee adoption, please call or visit:
Save the Manatee Club
500 N. Maitland Ave.
Maitland, FL 32751
(800) 432-JOIN
http://www.savethemanatee.org