Featured Image Credit: SeaWorld Orlando
Remember Washburn?
The manatee was recently rescued off the coast of Massachusetts and taken to Mystic Aquarium for rehab, where it was discovered they had actually saved a party of two. The pregnant manatee has officially landed in Florida for some much needed R&R.
This week, the 800 pound manatee made the 1,300 mile journey to SeaWorld Orlando to continue the rehabilitation process. The lengthy journey was made possible with help from the SeaWorld Orlando Rescue Team, the U.S. Coast Guard, and Florida Fish and Wildlife.
SeaWorld Orlando is part of the MRP, or Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership. This means they are an acute care facility with the ability to provide life-saving medical care to rescued manatees.
Having rescued 20 manatees this year alone, and released 17 of those back in the wild, it’s safe to say that Washburn and her unborn calf are in experienced hands. Apparently, Washburn thinks so too because she wasted no time eating and swimming in the rehabilitation pool.
Over the past four decades, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment has created one of the most respected rescue and rehabilitation programs in the world. Whether ill, injured, orphaned or abandoned, the animal experts at SeaWorld have assisted more than 28,000 animals. Now that’s AWESOME.
Florida Fish and Wildlife is working closely with SeaWorld to monitor the pregnant manatee. Soon, the partners will determine when and where the “little” family should be released.