3 manatees released back into the wild after almost a year-long rehab

Writer: Paul Dolan
Published: Updated:
manatee
Manatees. Credit: WINK News

More manatees are back in their natural habitat thanks to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, along with the help of ZooTampa and SeaWorld.

According to a social media post from ZooTampa, two manatees named Vamo and Burrger were returned to the Florida waters after a very long recovery process.

Burrger was rescued on Jan. 25, 2023, from St. Petersburg. The sea cow was suffering from cold stress and weighed only 320 pounds. While that is a lot for a human, according to FWC, adult manatees can weigh up to 1,000 pounds.

Vamo was rescued on Feb. 9, 2023, from the waters in Little Sarasota Bay. Vamo was discovered emaciated, weighing a shocking 260 pounds.

The sea cows spent nearly a year recovering at ZooTampa and the Georgia Aquarium.

The successful sea cow releases continued when crews from the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership, along with the FWC, released another sea cow named Lizard.

Crews rescued Lizard, an orphan in South Florida. Eventually, Lizard was released back into those same waters in 2022 but didn’t fare well.

Lizard was rescued and rehabilitated again. She was released on Wednesday at Blue Spring State Park.

If you see a sick, injured, or orphaned manatee, call FWC at 1-888-404-3922.

Click here for more information about manatee conservation.

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