Grassy Key, FL… On a day meant for celebration, two Florida Keys manatees, who were rescued as infants only days old by Dolphin Research Center, were released into the waters by Black Point Park in Homestead to rejoin their wild brethren and increase the numbers of this endangered species. A few hours later, in a poignant reminder of the fragile existence of these animals, another manatee lost its struggle for life after being rescued from a shallow cove at Knight’s Key Campground.
The morning release came after months of acclimation training and conditioning of the two manatees. The younger of the two males, Buttons, was only a day old when spotted with his mother and twin sibling in a Key Largo canal. He bore the signs of having been hit by a boat and was unable to dive underwater long enough to nurse from his mother. After his rescue, he was taken to Miami Seaquarium where he has lived for the last two and a half years. Buttons weighed only 31 pounds when first found and is believed to be the youngest manatee ever brought into human care in a rescue situation to survive. He now, weighs 750 pounds!
The other manatee, Douglas, was rescued in 1995 by DRC from Lake Surprise. He, too, was an infant, when residents observed him, alone without a mother, in water also known to be frequented by crocodiles. After his rescue, he was raised at Miami Seaquarium, but then spent four years at Cincinnati Zoo in order to make room for other animals needing critical care. Weighing only 50 pounds when rescued and measuring just 110 centimeters in length, Douglas has doubled in length and grown to over 900 pounds!
As part of their pre-release conditioning, caregivers re-acclimated Buttons and Douglas to salt water and the seasonally fluctuating temperatures of South Florida. They learned to eat sea grasses and other natural vegetation that are now on their daily menu. Both animals are fitted with tracking tags so that their progress can be carefully monitored. In addition to periodic medical checks, experts will observe their behavior to make sure they demonstrate the ability to survive in the natural environment. If at any time, they appear to have difficulty making the adjustment, they can be returned to human care for more instruction and practice before being re-released.
The Knight’s Key manatee, dubbed Lancelot by rescuers, had beached itself Tuesday. When called to the scene, medical staff from Dolphin Research Center’s Manatee Rescue Team found the manatee severely malnourished with a compromised respiratory system. Although the initial prognosis for survival was not good, working with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC), the decision was made to attempt a rescue.
In a stunning demonstration of community support, residents and visitors to the Knight’s Key Campground gathered at the beach area, to lend whatever help they could. Once DRC’s team secured the animal in a stretcher and took their positions, Executive Vice President Mandy Rodriguez positioned volunteers from the crowd of onlookers to help transfer the animal. In gentle, smooth stages, the group carried the ailing manatee out of the cove and onto the Miami Seaquarium truck.
“Whenever there is the slightest chance that the animal’s life might be saved, you try your best,” explains DRC’s Medical Director Pat Clough. “Unfortunately, given the degree of emaciation and other symptoms, this poor manatee was pretty far gone by the time it sought out the shallow water.” The animal died in transport. A necropsy, scheduled for Thursday, may reveal the presence of infection or other clues as to why the manatee stopped eating.
Dolphin Research Center is the only Manatee Rescue Team in the Florida Keys authorized by the state and federal governments. The team includes specially trained, experienced assessors, rescuers and medical personnel. If you see an injured, entangled or orphaned manatee, please call 1-888-404-FWCC (3922). That is the first step in launching a trained, professional response.
Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, Dolphin Research Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting peaceful coexistence, cooperation and communication between marine mammals and humans and the environment through research and education. Located on the Overseas Highway at mile marker 59, Grassy Key, the center is home to bottlenose dolphins and sea lions and is an accredited member of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. For more information, call 305-289-1121.
