Friends of Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Complex

05/24/2026

Have a safe Memorial Day everyone!

05/24/2026

05/20/2026

Looking for volunteers who love manatees, want to help and have a few hours to support our Refuge? We would love to meet you and explain how easy it is to get involved. You can also stop by the store Monday - Friday 11-4, message us on Facebook or Instagram, or email us at [email protected]

05/13/2026

Thank you, Bill and Judy! An engraved bench on the grounds of Three Sisters Springs was recently dedicated by sponsors Bill and Judy Weaver. The bench can be viewed overlooking the water inlet off the wetlands trail of the Three Sisters Springs property. If you are interested in sponsoring a bench, please contact the Friends of The Refuge at: [email protected].

05/11/2026

As a supporting partner of the Crystal River Natl. Wildlife Refuge, we "Friends" work hard to raise money for special projects, but we also work hard to educate the public. One of those "education" projects is our Nature Coast Lecture series. We welcomed the very knowledgeable Barbara McCormick to our complex last Tuesday. Barbara, a "Florida Master Gardener, had us on the edge of our seats as she carefully trimmed trees and plants, talked to us about "Crepe Murdering" (over trimming of crepe myrtle), and the timing and correct techniques of keeping our plants healthy. Barbara took questions from the full room and left us spell-bound and wanting more. BTW, every guest left with a Florida-native plant to plant and nurture! Our next presentation will be August 4th. Topic still to be decided!

05/10/2026

Happy Mother's Day, folks! (Pic is printable and may be colored by the little ones.)

Manatee Pregnancy and Birth Facts
Gestation period: The average pregnancy lasts roughly one year.

Birth frequency: Adult females only give birth to a single calf every 2 to 5 years. The baby manatee, a calf, weighs 60-70 pounds at birth,

Twins: Marine biologists note that twin births are extremely rare.

Nourishment: Calves nurse underwater from mammary glands located right behind the mother’s front flippers.

Early solid food: Babies start nibbling on seagrass and plants within a few weeks of birth.

Weaning: Mothers completely wean their calves by the end of the first or second year.

Survival lessons: Calves depend on their mothers to learn migration routes, feeding grounds, and how to find warm water refuges during winter.

05/01/2026

We are unable to add more participants. Registration is closed. Hope to see many of you at the August Lecture. Topic to be determined. NO WALK-INS!

04/22/2026

Happy Earth Day! What a great reminder to take care of all the natural beauty in our area!

04/19/2026

Yesterday's Bird Tour on the water was a success, and it was due to the many volunteers who gave their time and skills to the event. Special thanks to Friends President Lace Blue McLean who chaired the event and had the help from members of the board who did everything from setting up tables to serving food. Special thanks to the nature store volunteers under Nancy Steen and breakfast crew under Debbie Younglove who kept us all very happy with everything from homemade French toast to quiche and more. Of course, a thank you to our local Audubon club for providing bird guides and a HUGE THANK YOU TO MANATEE QUEEN AND PLANTATION ADVENTURE CRUISES for donating their time and beautiful boats to make our tours possible!

To become a member and to find out first about future events, join now at https://friendsofthecrystalriver.org/support/

04/18/2026

What a beautiful morning we had on the Bird Tour! We had two amazing boats/captains/first mates. Our thanks to the Manatee Queen and Plantation Adventure Cruises! They were AMAZING. We were also accompanied by experts from the local Audubon Society. The weather was perfect. Mother Nature treated us to some amazing sights and the tour ended with a delicious hot breakfast prepared by the Friends Board Members! If you were not able to join us this time, watch for our next tour in the Fall!