VIDEO: Manatee Rescued In South Carolina Returned To Ocean Near Titusville
By SeaWorld // March 11, 2016
ABOVE VIDEO: The SeaWorld Animal Rescue Team returned a rehabilitated manatee on Thursday to the warm Florida water ways after being rescued from a power facility in Charleston, S.C. this past December.
BREVARD COUNTY • TITUSVILLE, FLORIDA – The SeaWorld Animal Rescue Team returned a rehabilitated manatee on Thursday to the warm Florida water ways after being rescued from a power facility in Charleston, S.C. this past December.
The manatee – who was given the name Goose during his 3 month rehabilitation at SeaWorld Orlando – was returned near the Kennedy Point Marina in Titusville. Prior to his return a satellite transmitter was attached around his paddle like a belt to ensure he follows proper migration patterns next winter.
Goose was originally rescued on Friday, December 11, by a team which consisted of members from SeaWorld Orlando, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The manatee – which traditionally would have been migrating to warmer Florida waters in the winter – was taken to SeaWorld Orlando for a medical examination and rehabilitation before it could be cleared for return to a local Florida waterway.
Due to dropping water temperatures in the area, the manatee remained close to the power facility’s warm water outfall, leaving it isolated from an adequate food source and naturally warm water.
SeaWorld Orlando works closely with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to determine when a manatee is ready to be returned as well as the proper time and location for the return to take place.
