Overview
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission staff and the Lee County Sheriff's Office retrieved the pair from the Orange River using a net after drone pilots guided the boat to the animals.
- FWC’s research communications director said the manatees were transported to SeaWorld Orlando for rehabilitation.
- Authorities have not released details on how the mother was injured or the animals’ current conditions.
- FWC notes that rescuers aim to keep mother–calf pairs together and will recover both when one requires help.
- The duo are among at least six manatees rescued in Lee County since Feb. 19 for cold stress, watercraft injuries and malnutrition, with 85 deaths statewide reported as of Feb. 20 and more than 20 rehabilitated animals released this year.