GREENVILLE, N.C. — SeaWorld Orlando, along with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, North Carolina Aquariums, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, North Carolina State University, University of North Carolina — Wilmington, local law enforcement, and other North Carolina partners, worked together to successfully rescue a distressed manatee on Monday, SeaWorld officials stated.

What You Need To Know

  • SeaWorld Orlando, along with multiple partners, helped rescue a distressed manatee in North Carolina on Monday

  • The female manatee was found weighing 855 pounds and measuring almost 9 feet

  • The manatee was first reported in late October to the North Carolina stranding network

The female manatee, weighing 855 pounds and measuring almost 9 feet, was first reported in late October to the North Carolina stranding network, according to SeaWorld, and was seen in distress, including listing in shallow waters.

There had been sporadic sightings recently, including in the Pamlico and Tar Rivers, which led to an urgent response, said SeaWorld, adding that the manatee needed immediate intervention due to ambient water temperatures in the low 60°s Fahrenheit.

The manatee was reported near the Greenville Utilities Commission outfall canal last week and seen again on Saturday, and was then seen again at the canal near the Tar River on Monday morning where it was then rescued, according to SeaWorld, and then transported to SeaWorld Orlando for rehabilitation by the park’s expert animal care teams, with veterinary support from NC State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Center for Marine Sciences and Technology.

"Manatees are particularly vulnerable to cold stress when water temperatures drop below 68°F," stated SeaWorld officials. "Prolonged exposure to cold can lead to life-threatening health issues. The timely intervention of the rescue teams ensures the manatee will receive the critical care needed for recovery.  The manatee also had a healing watercraft-related injury to its right side."

SeaWorld Orlando is a member of the Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Partnership, which is a group of organizations that rescues, rehabilitates, monitors and releases manatees.