‘Extremely rare’ set of twin manatees believed to have been spotted with mom in Florida

A manatee was spotted with two babies — believed to be an “extremely rare” set of twins.

The pair of smaller manatees were seen flanking mom Estel at Blue Spring State Park in Orange City, Florida, according to a photo shared on Facebook.

“Since the calves appear to be the exact same size and both look in good (identical) body shape it is likely they are indeed twins, but since this is very rare, we are careful to make a determination early on,” Save the Manatee Club wrote Jan. 3 in an online post.

The organization also was hesitant because manatee moms have been known to adopt abandoned babies, and calves sometimes separate from their moms.

“It is hard to tell for sure since we obviously didn’t see them being born,” according to the group, which believes Estel is a first-time mom.

So, how unique is it to have manatee twins? At Blue Spring State Park, the last pair was spotted in 2015.

“Manatee twins are rare, born 1.4 to 4 percent of the time in Florida manatees,” according to a 2016 post on the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in Sarasota website.

“In such cases, a mother may abandon one calf to care for only one at a time,” Save the Manatee Club told McClatchy News in an email. “Fortunately, that does not appear to be the case here and the twins look very healthy.”

Fans have flocked to Facebook to soak in the cuteness and share congratulatory messages for Estel, who has been on Save the Manatee Club’s radar since 2019. She weighs about 900 pounds, smaller than other manatees her age but still making a mark at Blue Spring State Park, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

The park is a winter site for manatees, attracting more than 700 last year. It lies along the St. Johns River, roughly 35 miles northeast of Orlando. Manatees flock to warm-water springs and power plants in the winter when water temperatures drop.

Manatees — sometimes called sea cows — average about 1,200 pounds and 10 feet long. The species plays an important role in helping to maintain sea grass levels but have come under threat, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection didn’t immediately share additional information with McClatchy News on Jan. 13.

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