SARASOTA, FL — A 1,700-pound manatee rescued from a Sarasota waterway last weekend turned out to be packing a big Mother’s Day surprise.
She was pregnant.
“The manatee was rescued on Mother’s Day and the baby was born yesterday,” Lori Cherry of SeaWorld Orlando shared with Patch on Wednesday.
The manatee was rescued near the Harbor Towers Yacht & Racquet Club on Siesta Key.
“We did not know that the manatee was pregnant during transport/arrival,” Cherry said. “The SeaWorld veterinarian assessing her health discovered the pregnancy a day prior to her giving birth.”
Watch the mother and calf below courtesy of SeaWorld:
Biologist Jess Blackburn of the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium Stranding Investigations Program and Officer Michael Skinner of the Sarasota Police Department Marine Patrol were the first on the scene.
They teamed up with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office to safely net the manatee and get her loaded onto a a truck as a crowd looked on.
“We hate to see injured wildlife in our waterways, but we’re hoping this team effort was enough to help give this manatee a second chance,” Skinner said.
Blackburn said the manatee appeared to have been struck by more than one boat.
“Immediately, I noticed that the manatee was listing to one side, and had both healed and fresh boat strike wounds,” Blackburn recalled. “Those kinds of wounds likely caused air to be trapped in the manatee’s chest cavity, making it difficult for the animal to submerge efficiently. Given the busy area and heavy boat traffic, we knew it would be very difficult for her to avoid any other potential boat collisions.”
The manatee was taken to the SeaWorld Manatee Rehabilitation Center, which provided round-the-clock care.
“Our facility is only one of four in Florida designated for critical care of manatees and we work tirelessly with the goal of rehabilitating and returning rescued manatees to the wild,” explained Jon Peterson, vice president Zoological Operations with the organization. “The mother is is the 17th manatee to be treated at SeaWorld in 2020.”
Though stable, the new mother remains in critical condition from her injuries. Denise Boyd of FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research branch urged boaters to do their part to protect the lovable sea creatures.
“Please remember to wear polarized glasses and be on the lookout for manatees while boating,” she said.
Cherry said SeaWorld hopes to eventually return the mother and child back to their natural habitat.
“I do not know the size of the baby, but can report that the calf appears healthy,” she added.
To report a manatee in distress in the Sarasota area, call Mote’s 24/7 Stranding Investigations Program hotline at 941-988-0212.
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