A manatee mom and her calf were rescued Friday after someone noticed the mom had some serious injuries.
- Manatees spotted near Betty Lane and Overlea Street
- About a dozen rescuers from FWC responded to call
- Lowry Park Zoo hopes to nurse injured mother back to health
The pair were spotted in a canal near the intersection of Betty Lane and Overlea Street. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation officers say people playing golf at a nearby golf course called three times and sent pictures after spotting the distressed manatee.
The larger manatee had several large cuts on its back that experts say appear to have been caused by a boat propeller.
About a dozen rescuers from FWC and Clearwater Marine Aquarium came out to help rescue the calf and its mother. They brought a stretcher to the edge of the shore, put nets in the water and had a backhoe ready to lift the Manatee.
First, crews coaxed the manatee and her calf from the back of the canal into a net. They then pulled the manatees to the shore, the calf first. Rescuers poured water on her as she made sounds to communicate with her mother.
ph: Saundra Weathers
Then, the big rescue. The team used their heavy machinery to lift the large female manatee to shore, then used the stretcher to load her into a truck.
Both mother and calf were transported to Lowry Park Zoo, where they hope to nurse the mother back to health. Since the calf is so small, it will be by mom’s side the entire time.