An orphaned male manatee suffering from buoyancy problems has been rescued from a river in Florida and is now being cared for by the SeaWorld Orlando team. This is the 500th manatee that the park has cared for since the animal rescue program started in 1976.
The 285-pound manatee was given a complete health exam upon arrival at SeaWorld, including antibiotic treatment. The manatee will continue to receive around-the-clock care and is expected to make a full recovery. The goal, as with every rescue, is to return the manatee back to his natural environment once it is strong enough to survive on its own.
So far in 2014, SeaWorld Orlando has rescued six manatees and returned five. In collaboration with the government and other members of accredited stranding networks, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment operates one of the world’s most respected programs to rescue ill and injured marine animals with the goal to rehabilitate and return to the ocean. SeaWorld animal experts have helped more than 23,000 animals in need - ill, injured, orphaned and abandoned - for more than four decades.
