A manatee named Randall was returned to the wild Thursday after spending nearly a year in rehabilitation, according to SeaWorld’s rescue team.

  • Rehabilitated manatee returned to the wild
  • Randall was found stranded in Rodman Reservoir complex
  • 115 stranded manatees have been rescued in last 10 years

Randall was found stranded in Camp Branch Creek’s Rodman Reservoir complex in Putnam County.

“FWC was alerted to Randall’s situations by Florida Department of Environmental Protection staff who reported seeing him in an area that was not normally accessible to manatees,” said Jim Valade, manatee recovery coordinator with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in a statement.

In the last 10 years, about 115 manatees have been rescued after being trapped in ditches, water control structures or behind culverts, according to FWC. As many as 22 manatees have died.

Officials say manatees get trapped for a variety of reasons. Some swim into an area during high tide, but become stranded when the tide goes out. Others may be seeking shelter, swimming into a culvert and hit a dead end.

To report trapped manatees, call the FWC hotline at 1-888-404-3922 or *FWC on a cellphone.


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