REDINGTON BEACH, Fla. — A beached manatee was rescued from Reddington Beach after being spotted by beachgoers.
Surveyors observing sea turtle nesting spotted the adult female manatee stranded on the beach, lethargic and breathing rapidly. There were several other manatees in the water nearby.
A rescue team from FWC, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, and ZooTampa worked together to move the manatee out and safely load her into a rescue box truck to transport her to ZooTampa.
Officials said she was showing signs of exhaustion and white patches of missing skin from mating behavior by males. While wildlife officials typically don't intervene in mating events, females that become beached and unresponsive have a lower chance of survival without help.
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