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3 rescued manatee calves released back into Florida waters
Three orphaned manatee calves were released back into the wild on Thursday, and SeaWorld Orlando marked the occasion with a triple splash at Blue Spring State Park.
VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. - In Volusia County, three orphaned manatee calves were released back into the wild on Thursday, and SeaWorld Orlando marked the occasion with a triple splash at Blue Spring State Park.
The trio of female calves were taken in by SeaWorld after being orphaned.
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The goal, officials said, was to help the young animals regain healthy weight. SeaWorld representatives noted that it took about 10 volunteers to hoist each manatee during the release.
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When one calf arrived, she weighed 97 pounds, while another came in at 60 pounds and was "a bottled orphan right from the jump," SeaWorld officials said. Both calves now weigh more than 600 pounds.
Each manatee was measured, tagged and had scars documented before being returned to the water. Crews plan to monitor the calves for about a year to track feeding, migration and overall survival.
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SeaWorld also reported that the 400-plus-pound sea cow was rescued from a storm drain in Melbourne Beach on Monday and is now "swimming, eating and enjoying life at SeaWorld," officials said.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by SeaWorld Orlando.