TAMPA, Fla. — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recently used the strong bond between a mother manatee and her calf to capture the injured adult female from the Hillsborough River in Tampa.

“It’s rare to have these opportunities,” said Andy Garrett, 46, FWC Rescue Manatee Coordinator. “But we have done it before.”

What You Need To Know

  • The rescue team found the injured manatee with her calf on Sept. 8

  • Initially, the rescue team tried to capture both the mom and calf at the same time

  • Those who see an injured or dead manatee can call the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1-888-404-3922

Garrett said they had been getting reports through their wildlife alert hotline about an adult manatee with buoyancy issues. The rescue team was able to find the animal with her calf on Sept. 8.

“The calf’s not injured but we want to catch them together,” said Garrett. “The calf can’t survive without the mom.” ​

Initially, the rescue team tried to capture both the mom and calf at the same time, but soon realized only the young manatee was in their net. Garrett said that’s when they decided to use the calf to lure the mother into the net.

“Using the mom’s bond with the calf to bring her in,” he said. “Some animals would take off. The calf would be left alone.”​

Garrett said once the large mother manatee was on the boat she was scanned and they saw she had been tagged in 1995 for a research study. Through an FWC photo I.D. program, Garrett said they identified the manatee had given birth to at least 8 or 9 calves over the years, making her an important breeder for the federally protected species.

“These breeding females are the ones that keep the population going and can expand the population,” he said. “She’s getting these calves to a weaning age and then getting pregnant again and having calves.”  

Mother manatees stay with their calves for two years and teach them where to find warm water and food. Garrett said with thousands of manatees dying over the past two years in Florida, it’s very important to save each animal.

“Very valuable to just the overall conservation of the animals,” he said. “We’re still trying to do what we can.” 

The mother manatee and her calf have been recovering at Zoo Tampa. Those who see an injured or dead manatee can call the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1-888-404-3922.