In a Fb publish, ZooTampa stated that “long-term publicity to water temperatures beneath 68 levels Fahrenheit may be detrimental to manatees.”
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — On Wednesday morning, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee (FWC) helped rescue a manatee close to the USF St. Pete campus.
ZooTampa employees says the manatee was affected by chilly stress however is now of their look after rehabilitation.
In a Fb publish final week, zoo officers famous that they have been “extraordinarily busy” this winter as they proceed their efforts to launch manatees — a few of which had been dropped at them in 2024 as a result of chilly stress.
“This time of 12 months, TECO’s Manatee Viewing Middle, is residence to many manatees searching for hotter waters as temperatures drop,” the zoo stated within the publish. “It is vital to keep in mind that long-term publicity to water temperatures beneath 68 levels Fahrenheit may be detrimental to manatees. It’s important for manatees to seek out heat water on their very own.”
In accordance with the FWC, manatees with chilly stress usually have bleaching on their pores and skin, seen abscesses, unresolved sores, a heavy algae load and may be underweight. Manatees with a majority of these signs which might be discovered away from any heat water sources are of most concern.
