FORT MYERS, Fla. — Editor's note: The above photo is a file photo. It is not a photo of the manatee in the story.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute says it has recently saved an orphaned manatee calf in the Caloosahatchee River, near Fort Myers.
The agency found out about the manatee after someone called to report seeing him alone in the water for about 30 minutes. The rescue team decided to give the calf a little more time, in case its mom showed back up.
The next morning, the calf was still alone, so FWC law enforcement officers, the SW manatee rescue team and a volunteer were able to hoop net rescue the calf according to a Facebook post.
With the help of Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, the 3.8-foot-long calf was taken to SeaWorld Orlando for rehabilitation.
"A current report tells us this calf is stable, starting to gain weight and the outlook is positive," says FWC.
If you think a manatee needs help from FWC, call 888-404-FWCC (3922) or call #FWC or *FWC from your cell phone.
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