Community Corner
Rescued Baby Manatee at Lowry Zoo
The manatee calf is in critical condition at the Tampa zoo hospital, suffering from 'cold stress.' ABC Action News tweeted this photo of the manatee.
A 90-pound manatee calf rescued Wednesday, March 27, in St. Petersburg would have likely died if it had not been noticed by a wildlife expert working in the area, according to media reports.
Fox News interviewed Fish and Wildlife staff member Jennifer Johnson:
"We noticed right off the bat that there was a really small calf looking like it might be by itself, so after about five minutes of watching it with no mom around, I called the rescue team at the Marine Mammal Pathobiology Laboratory," Jennifer Johnson recalled.
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The baby manatee is listed in critical condition today at Lowry Park Zoo, where the marine mammal was assessed and is being treated for the effects of "cold stress." (See photo that ABC Action News tweeted Wednesday.)
According to WPTV, cold stress causes respiratory stress and lesions on the bodies of manatees. The calf was put in a heated pool and will be fed by bottle. Rescuers were unable to catch the baby's mother.
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