Name: C.C. Released: February 2009 Data Map

Biography: CC was rescued as an orphan from the Caloosahatchee River in Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida on July 1, 2006.  He was only 121 cm long and weighed 55 lbs.  Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission transported him to SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida to rehabilitate, and he was released at Crystal River on March 4, 2009.  Upon release, he was 240 cm in length and weighed 465 lbs.  CC began the adaptation process but then found a cove in the Gulf just outside Crystal River and did not appear to be leaving it often enough to get sufficient fresh water and food.  He was brought back to SeaWorld in Orlando on April 10, 2009, for dehydration and malnutrition.  CC was re-released on February 27, 2010 at Three Sisters in Crystal River, Florida.  CC weighed 700lbs and was 246 cm on the day of his release.

Field Notes:

3/4/09: C.C. was given a blue and white tag and loaded onto SeaWorld's vessel, then released into Crystal River's sanctuary at noon.  He began by pacing circles and remaining submerged the first minute, then milled across the river to boat docks within the sanctuary on the other side.  There were two other animals within 50 yards of him near the docks, one also milling and one feeding.  C.C.'s breaths were about 3-4 minutes apart.

3/9/09: Some pacing behavior was seen from C.C. in Kings Bay, so we will be paying close attention to this.

3/10/09-3/16/09: C.C. was observed in northern Kings Bay, Crystal River, exploring the area by himself. He would broaden his circles while moving further and further along the coast. During the later part of the week and over the weekend he has moved down river to the mouth of Crystal River where there is plentiful estuarine seagrass and is now slowly making his way back up the river again.

3/17/09 – 3/24/09:  C.C. has stayed in an area out in the gulf that is relatively hard to reach by boat, but a flight to observe him has been scheduled for Tuesday, 3/24/09, and another boat trip on Wednesday, 3/25/09.  

3/23/09-3/30/09: C.C. was observed on Wednesday, 3/25/09, in a small cove out in the gulf at Crystal River.  He has remained in this area for the last week.  He is still by himself but the cove has lots of food and is a slow zone.  His belly looked a bit flat but he was moving around during the observation.

3/30/09-4/6/09:  C.C. moved out of the cove he has been staying in in the gulf on Saturday, 4/4/09, but had moved back in by 4/5/09.  As of Monday afternoon, 4/6/09, he is at the mouth of the cove, where other animals are often seen.

4/7/09-4/13/09:  On Wednesday, 4/8/09, C.C. was observed alone in a mangrove cove where there were sparse seagrasses. With the cool snap that came through the previous day most of the wild manatees had moved back into the warmer water in the headwaters of Crystal River, but C.C. had not responded. Because he had been staying in that particular cove for so long and had not been observed foraging or seeking fresh water, it was decided that he should be caught for a health assessment by a SeaWorld veterinarian. On Friday, 4/10/09, C.C. was captured and transported back to Crystal River from The Suncoast Keys. Once back at the dock, the decision was made to move C.C. back to SeaWorld for additional monitoring and recuperation.

2/17/10-2/28/10:  CC was released at Three Sisters Springs on Wednesday, 2/17/10, by SeaWorld of Orlando and Sea to Shore Alliance.  He immediately began traveling around the spring and socialized with at least 2 other animals there.  CC traveled out to the end of Crystal River on Wednesday, 2/24/10, and was found down a narrow, winding creek off the south bank of the entrance to the river on Friday, 2/26/10, in cold water.  On Saturday, 2/27/10, he appeared to be coming back up Salt River, but early on Sunday morning, 2/28/10, he started back out into the gulf again.  A capture is planned for Monday, 3/01/10, to relocate CC back to Kings Bay.

3/01/10-3/08/10:  On Monday, 3/01/10, CC was captured in a canal cut into an island southwest of the entrance to Salt River.  He was then transported back to warm water near Three Sisters Springs where he was released.  Outwardly, CC looked good.  On Wednesday, 3/03/10, he socialized at Three Sisters Springs with 9 other animals including Myra and Little Nap.

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