Featured Image Credit: Gulf World Marine Institute via Facebook
By Emily Persico
Despite the hard-hitting, heat-heavy winter thatFlorida is experiencing… many Floridians are still shivering with cold. Among those shivering last week was a lone manatee in Lynn Haven, Florida. Cold-stressed and delirious, this large sea-cow needed assistance ASAP.
And assistance it received. Luckily, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute and Gulf World Marine Institute were alerted on February 3rd and responded immediately. Wildlife professionals observed the manatee’s peculiar behavior, including its steady struggle to remain in shallow water. A day later they returned, and a final decision was made to locate and transport the manatee for rehabilitation.
When they returned, they came with reinforcements. The Gulf World Marine Institute teamed up with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge and the University of Florida. Together, the team brought the manatee to the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Florida.
The manatee’s high fat content apparently does not help keep it warm. Like most native Floridians, manatees suffer from potentially life-threatening cold-stress when exposed to temperatures below 68 degrees.
If you see an animal in need or out of place, call the FWC at 1-888-404-3922. Learn more about the stranded manatee and its savior on Gulf World Marine Institute’s Facebook.