Manatees Rescued By Dolphin Research Center
[ISLAMORADA, FL] On May 10, 2025, Dolphin Research Center (DRC) led the successful rescue of a mother manatee and her young calf yesterday in Islamorada, Florida. 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 rescue, which occurred just before Mother’s Day, serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of protecting wildlife and the strong maternal bonds within the animal kingdom. 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. The Dolphin Research Center is proud to serve as the only federally and state-licensed manatee rescue team operating in the entire Florida Keys.
“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.”
The Dolphin Research Center urges boaters throughout Florida to remain vigilant and reduce speed in manatee-inhabited waters to help prevent future injuries to these gentle 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).
For more information about Dolphin Research Center, visit us at dolphins.org or on social media: Facebook and Instagram.
