Cold-stressed manatee rescued near Sarasota will be taken to zoo rehab
A mildly cold-stressed manatee was rescued near Sarasota by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Friday.
They took the manatee to ZooTampa at Lowry Park for rehabilitation.
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“Prolonged exposure to lower water temperatures causes manatees to lose body heat and inadequately digest their food, which can lead to a condition classified as ‘cold stress’ and eventually can be fatal,” FWC said on its website.
Cold stress is usually seen in smaller manatees during the winter season when water temperatures reach less than 68 degrees manatees will display cold stress symptoms through bleaching on their skin, visible abscesses, unresolved sores, a heavy barnacle or algae load and loss of weight, according to research from the FWC.
Records indicate today's temperature is 64.9 degrees in the waters off Tampa.
Although warm water springs have historically served as natural areas of refuge during the winter, 60% of manatees rely on industrial sources of warm water, such as power plant discharge basins.
“Loss of warm water habitat is a serious long-term threat to manatees,” FWC said on its website.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: FWC rescues cold-stressed manatee near Sarasota
