Baby manatee rescued after mother dies in Islamorada

ISLAMORADA, Fla. (WFLA) – A manatee calf was rescued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation commission on Saturday after its mother sadly died.

According to the FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, its southeast field lab got a report of an injured adult manatee with her calf in Islamorada.

The caller sent a video of a the adult manatee with fresh watercraft-related injuries. The manatee was reportedly acting erratically, “constantly barrel rolling with distressed breathing.” the research institute said.

The adult manatee passed away shortly after the report.

Her calf stayed with the body until a rescue team arrived.

FWC staff, volunteers and staff from the Dolphin Research Center caught the male calf and took him to the Miami Seaquarium, where he will stay until he is big enough to be released back into the wild.