Baby Manatee Rescued From St. Pete Waters Near Eckerd College

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - A listless baby manatee with multiple watercraft and shark attack wounds was found floating next to a dock at Eckerd College on Thursday and rescued, the college wrote in a social media post.

Eckerd staff and watersports camp student instructors called the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission after spotting the manatee.

FWC Officer Andy Garrett, a 1999 graduate of Eckerd, responded to the waterfront with his crew, who confirmed the 6-foot-long male manatee was in distress and needed rescuing, the college said.

About 2-years-old, the manatee was lethargic, underweight, and had a series of watercraft wounds across his back, as well as several shark wounds on his tail and peduncle, the area that connects his tail to his body.

FWC staff, students, and Eckerd College Search and Rescue team members used a hoop net to capture the ailing manatee and pull him onto the dock.

Once on a stretcher, the FWC team transferred him to a foam pad at the top of the boat ramp, and kept him wet, shaded, and comfortable until the ZooTampa at Lowry Park transport team arrived.

When ZooTampa staff arrived, they loaded him into their specialized box truck to bring him to their manatee critical care facility.

After arriving at the zoo, he was assessed by the medical team and will remain there for rehabilitation.

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