Baby manatee headed to Sea World after Cape Coral canal rescue

Stacey Henson, Fort Myers News-Press
·1 min read

A baby manatee separated from its mother in a Cape Coral canal is headed to SeaWorld in Orlando, Cape Coral police report.

A Cape Coral police officer jumped in the canal to remain with the calf until Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission specialists arrived, then helped them lift it to shore to travel, a Facebook video posted by the department shows.

A manatee calf separated from its mother in a Cape Coral canal was headed to SeaWorld in Orlando. A Cape Coral Police Marine Unit officer stayed with the calf and helped get it ready for transport, according to a Facebook post on Saturday, March 30, 2024.
A manatee calf separated from its mother in a Cape Coral canal was headed to SeaWorld in Orlando. A Cape Coral Police Marine Unit officer stayed with the calf and helped get it ready for transport, according to a Facebook post on Saturday, March 30, 2024.

Cape Coral has 400 miles of canals, many of them leading to the Gulf of Mexico. During the cooler months, manatees seek the warmer waters inland.

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Calves typically stay close to the mothers for one to two years to learn travel routes and the location of food, rest areas, and warm water refuges, wildlife officials report.

The theme park includes a 5-acre Rescue Center for rehabilitating wildlife that have been ill, injured or orphaned — including manatees, sea turtles, birds and other marine animals, SeaWorld reports.

If you spot a sick, injured, dead or tagged manatee, the FWC asks you to call 1-888-404-3922 and press "7" to speak with an operator.

Stacey Henson is the Southwest Florida breaking news and visuals editor. You may reach her at shenson@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Cape Coral police, FWC send lost baby manatee to Sea World