How to adopt a manatee

The Save the Manatee Club offers "manatee adoptions" in order to further its manatee protection and education work.

Membership in the club provides funds for manatee research, manatee warning signs in Florida waterways, education and public awareness projects, protection of manatee habitat, lobbying efforts to protect manatees and habitat, in-service programs and educational materials for teachers and a demonstration of the power base showing state and national lawmakers the amount of support for manatee protection programs.

Those who adopt a manatee receive an adoption certificate, a photo and a biography of an individual manatee.

Five manatees at the Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park are available for adoption. They are Amanda, Ariel, Betsy, Rosie and Lorelei. Manatees at Blue Springs State Park are also available for adoption.

The adoption fee is $20 for an individual, $30 for a family, $50 for a sponsor, $100 for a guardian and $500 for a life member.

For more information, contact the Save the Manatee Club at 500 N Maitland Ave., Maitland, FL 32751, or call 1-800-432-5646. The club's Web site is www.savethemanatee.org.

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