
It’s not just (human) Floridians who are not used to the cold. A second cold snap in late January left a manatee calf vulnerable and distressed in Bayboro Harbor, right outside the St. Petersburg office of the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. Thanks to the quick actions of FWC biologists and their partners at ZooTampa, the young manatee was rescued and is now receiving life-saving care at ZooTampa’s state-of-the-art Manatee Critical Care Center—a facility that our Foundation proudly helps fund.
The manatee, which was alone and showing signs of cold stress, is now on the road to recovery. Cold stress is a dangerous condition for manatees, caused by prolonged exposure to water temperatures below 68°F. If left untreated, it can be fatal. Fortunately, the swift response of trained experts saved this little one.
Rescue and rehabilitation efforts like this one require significant resources, time, and collaboration among multiple organizations. At our Foundation, we’re committed to ensuring that manatees in need have access to the best care possible. With the help of a generous gift from Greater Good Charities, we proudly donated $35,000 to ZooTampa to support the feeding and care of rescued manatees.
If you ever see an injured, sick, orphaned, or dead manatee, please call FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) so that trained professionals can respond.
Now through February 7th, we’ll send a valentine to the manatee-lover of your choosing when you donate $25 to our Marine Mammal Fund. Proceeds support manatee rescue and rehabilitation around the state of Florida, like this manatee calf. You’ll be double Cupid: showering manatees and your closest with love!