More than one species celebrated Mother’s Day on May 10 in the Florida Keys, as Dolphin Research Center (DRC) led the successful rescue of a mother manatee and her young calf in Islamorada.
The mother manatee had sustained serious injuries from a boat strike, resulting in a life-threatening pneumothorax — a condition in which air becomes trapped in the chest cavity, potentially impairing lung function.
The distressed manatee and her calf were safely transported to SeaWorld Orlando, where they are now receiving expert medical care and rehabilitation.
The operation was a coordinated effort with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and included on-site assistance from Aquarium Encounters.
“Rescuing a mother and her calf on the eve of Mother’s Day made this mission especially meaningful,” said Allie Proskovec, director of media and marketing at the Dolphin Research Center. “Every manatee matters, but rescuing a mother and helping ensure the calf’s survival is a double victory for conservation.”
Boaters throughout Florida are urged to remain vigilant and reduce speed in manatee-inhabited waters to help prevent future injuries to these magnificent marine mammals.
For more information or to report a sick, injured, or distressed manatee, please contact FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922).
