Kringle, a male manatee, was brought to SeaWorld’s manatee rehabilitation facility yesterday afternoon, by experts from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Jacksonville Zoo. The manatee was rescued from the St. John’s River, near Jacksonville.
According to SeaWorld’s veterinarian, Dr. Kathy Heym, Kringle is showing early signs of cold stress and hypothermia. Water temperatures in the St. John’s where Kringle was found were in the low 50s, much too cold for manatees.
SeaWorld’s animal team will continue to monitor Kringle in the coming days. This is the first cold-stressed manatee of the season for SeaWorld’s team.
This is Kringle’s second time “rehabbing” at SeaWorld. His first visit was in late December of 2008, only two days after Christmas (and with his rescue came his holiday name).
