Mother manatee and calf rescued from Orange River, day after another manatee saved

FORT MYERS, Fla.—WINK News was first on scene two days in a row as Florida wildlife officials carried out back-to-back manatee rescues in Orange Harbor.

On Tuesday, crews rescued an adult female manatee found very thin, floating on its side and unable to submerge. That animal was transported to SeaWorld Orlando for rehabilitation, where veterinarians are working to determine the cause of her distress.

Then Wednesday, rescue teams returned — this time for a mother and her calf in the Orange River near Orange Harbor. 

Were the Mother and Calf in Distress?

FWC has not confirmed whether both animals were in distress. Typically, when a calf is involved, wildlife officials make every effort to keep the pair together, since calves can rely on their mothers for up to two years.

The rescues come just days after more than a dozen manatees were removed from waters in and around Manatee Park. FWC has said those deaths were related to cold stress.

Scientists at SeaWorld Orlando will now evaluate the mother and calf rescued Wednesday and work to determine whether they were in distress — and if their situation is connected in any way to recent manatee deaths.

For now, wildlife officials describe it as another successful rescue — the second in as many days from Orange Harbor.

A Front-Row Seat to the Rescue

Larry and Jackie Seacat, who live at the Orange Harbor Co-Op RV Resort, watched the rescue unfold from their backyard dock.

They saw the manatee rescue team leave around 11:30 a.m. and return roughly 90 minutes later — one boat carrying the mother, another carrying the calf.

“It's amazing all these Florida wildlife marine people bringing in some injured manatees— I think it was a mother and a baby!” said Larry and Jackie Seacat.

Lee County Sheriff’s Office deployed a drone to monitor the pair from the air. Back at the docks, crews removed the calf first — gently lifting it in a red sling from boat to truck.

The mother required a heavier lift. Crews worked carefully, sliding straps beneath her body before moving her, six inches at a time, into a blue sling. Scrapes and visible blood could be seen along her back as she was hoisted from the boat. 

Meanwhile, the calf was kept wet and treated with a sponge and a bucket of water.

“It's enthusiastic to see such young people, and they know exactly where they're supposed to be,” the Seacats said.

 

Neighbor Butch Chambers watched both rescues this week and praised the coordinated response effort.

“It was a great one and you know what these guys deserve so much credit the FWC, the sheriff's department, the media for covering it and all the volunteers because they rescued a mother with her calf today and they got them at the same time and they got them both in there and they got them out of here safely,” Chambers said.

Chambers said residents made sure crews were taken care of after hours in the sun.

“Harbor Co-Op got them a bunch of water pizzas for them to make sure their day goes okay.”

What About Manatee Park and the FPL Plant?

FWC has not said whether these rescues are connected to the recent manatee deaths near Manatee Park, which officials previously attributed to cold stress.

The agency confirmed to WINK News that the nearby FPL plant, which discharges warm water into Manatee Park, is compliant with its Manatee Protection Plan criteria and described the facility as a key conservation partner.

Both the mother and calf were transported to SeaWorld Orlando, where veterinarians will evaluate their condition and determine next steps.

WINK News will continue to follow developments surrounding these rescues and any findings from wildlife officials.