Manatee calf stranded on Fort Myers Beach rescued by Lee County Sheriff's Office, FWC

Kim Luciani, Fort Myers News-Press
·2 min read
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A manatee cub stranded near Pink Shell Beach Resort on Fort Myers Beach was rescued Thursday.

A resort employee located the manatee and alerted authorities. Lee County Sheriff's Office beach deputies and Florida Fish and Wildlife officers tended to the animal, the sheriff's office reported on X, formerly Twitter.

The manatee is Florida's state marine mammal and is one of the state's imperiled species protected by federal and state laws.

Here's what to know about manatees and more about the laws protecting them:

A manatee calf was rescued on Fort Myers Beach Thursday.
A manatee calf was rescued on Fort Myers Beach Thursday.

What to know about manatees

According to FWC, manatees are large, gray, tube-shaped marine mammals with leathery-looking skin, whiskered faces, flippers, and paddle-shaped tails. The average adult manatee is about 10 feet long. Often referred to as "sea cows" because of their grazing habits, Florida manatees are found throughout peninsular Florida.

What to do if you find a beached manatee

A manatee calf was rescued on Fort Myers Beach Thursday.
A manatee calf was rescued on Fort Myers Beach Thursday.

If you find a marine animal such as a manatee, dolphin or whale on the beach, FWC has shared the following tips:

  • Do not push the animal back into the water. These animals are often sick and sometimes orphaned and will beach themselves again.

  • Report the stranded animal to FWC immediately at 1-888-404-3922.

  • Keep people and pets away from the animals.

  • Do not touch the animal because it may cause it more stress.

  • Avoid the tail area because the animal may thrash around.

Can you touch a manatee? Is it legal?

No. It is illegal to feed, harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, annoy, or molest manatees.

Anyone convicted of violating state law faces a maximum fine of $500 and/or imprisonment of up to 60 days. Conviction for violating federal protection laws is punishable by fines up to $100,000 and/or one year in prison.

To avoid charges of harassment, the FWC advises that you do not:

  • give food to manatees

  • use water to attract manatees to your boat, dock, or marina (etc.) where manatees may be harmed

  • separate a cow and her calf

  • disturb manatee mating herds

  • pursue manatees or chase them from warm water sites

  • disturb resting manatees

  • hit, injure, or harm manatees

  • jump on, stand on, hold on to, or ride manatees

  • grab or kick manatees

  • block a manatee's path if one or more moves toward you

  • hunt or kill manatees

  • use your vessel to pursue or harass manatees

  • "fish" for or attempt to hook or catch manatees

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This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Video shows manatee calf rescue on Fort Myers Beach in Florida