Rescuers Save Life Of Motherless Baby Manatee Left To Look After Itself

Feb 18, 2019 by apost team

Manatees are delightful mammals that live off of the Florida coast. They visit mangroves and spend time in the waters there year-round.

Manatees play a big role in Florida tourism, drawing tens of thousands of people to the area every year. People like to watch the manatees and take their photos.

They also like to row boats near manatees. Propeller boats are one of the most common causes of injuries in manatees.

According to snewsi, Visitors and staff at the Florida Power & Light’s Manatee Lagoon noticed a baby manatee without an adult near it. This is unusual because manatees are known to be good parents. The babies stay with their moms for a year or two before they wean.

People noticed that the baby started to get sores around its mouth and nose. This is a sign of cold intolerance. Although manatees look fat, they actually have little body fat to keep them warm. The babies are less tolerant to cold than the adults.

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Staff at the Florida Power & Light’s Manatee Lagoon knew that they had to step in and save the calf. Along with some tourists, they got the baby and brought it into the protected sanctuary. The baby manatee was taken to the Miami Seaquarium.

The staff there will provide veterinary care and give the baby the food that it needs in order to grow bigger.

This is not the first rescue of a baby manatee, and it probably will not be the last. The staff at the Florida Power & Light’s Manatee Lagoon and the Miami Seaquarium are committed to helping animals in need.

They intend to have the baby manatee in pools that visitors can view. By telling the story of these intelligent animals, the marine biologists can provide people with inspiration and motivation to do more to conserve natural areas and the amazing and diverse animals that inhabit them.

Do you think that people have an obligation to rescue and care for orphaned animals? What do you think about the plan for caring for the baby and releasing it back to the wild? Have you ever helped rescue or care for an orphaned animal? What do you think about this story? Let us know in the comments - and feel free to pass this along to your friends and family!