A manatee that got sick from toxic algae just got some good news: familiar territory
If you’ve had a rough start to the week, know that some good news does exist in the world.
A sick Florida manatee that accidentally ingested harmful red tide algae in February is back home where she belongs.
According to a Facebook post from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the sea cow was released into the wild after a long rehabilitation process. It had eaten a concentration of a microscopic algae known as red tide that can produce a toxin affecting an animal’s central nervous system.
Deputies from the agency rescued the mammoth mammal which was floundering in some mangroves off the Florida coast. Nicknamed Darling, it was sent to Zoo Tampa for treatment.
Last Wednesday, Darling was well enough to return to the wild.
Video shows a team that included Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation officers and biologists easing the 1,100 pound slow-moving mammal into the water off a dock.
In Florida, the most well-known red-tide-causing organism is Karenia brevis, which blooms in the Gulf of Mexico almost every year, the FWC reports.
This story was originally published May 18, 2021 at 11:51 AM.
