Manatee Rescued on the Kissimmee River – July 2012

Manatees travel in most freshwater springs, lakes and rivers in Florida, however they are a rare sighting in the Kissimmee River, especially in the summer! A Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) Officer spotted the injured manatee in the southern end of the Kissimmee River that flows into Lake Okeechobee. He contacted the FWC's Manatee research team that went to the rescue with help from the SFWMD. Two boats with a net stretched between them herded the injured manatee into the net. There were 3 males accompanying the injured female, who was pulled into the boat and rushed to the dock. The team moved the 9 foot manatee from the boat to a box truck which took her to the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa for treatment for internal bleeding and eventual release.