On January 13, animal experts from Florida Wildlife Commission (FWC) were called by a quick-thinking resident who had spotted a manatee stuck in a mud-filled canal in Indialantic, FL. Suffering from cold-stress and unable to move to warmer waters, the manatee was brought to SeaWorld for care.
The park's manatee team is optimistic. The manatee -- a 3-year-old male, about 7 feet long and weighing 480 lbs -- began eating right away and that's a good sign.
Next steps for the youngster? He'll be kept under the watchful eye of park vets and manatee specialists. They'll be looking to see that he continues to eat well -- but not too much! -- and once he's healthy, he'll be returned to the wild.
The park's rescue team is on call 24/7 to care for injured, orphaned or ill animals, from sea turtles and manatees to wood storks and egrets.
Stay tuned for more updates.
Visiting SeaWorld Orlando and want to learn more about our rescue efforts? Take a special tour and go behind-the-scenes. http://www.seaworld.com/sitepage.aspx?PageID=942
