Biologists rescue manatee entangled in fishing line in Florida Keys

April 2009. Biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission”s (FWC) Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, with the help of the Miami Seaquarium and the Dolphin Research Center, rescued a manatee from Tarpon Basin in Key Largo. More than two years ago, FWC biologists learned of a manatee with a front flipper severely entangled in monofilament fishing line.

The biologists made several attempts to rescue the adult female manatee. They were concerned about the manatee’s chance for survival, because fishing line can cut off circulation, leading to amputation of the flipper and possibly death.

Because of the severity of the entanglement, FWC biologists transported the manatee to the Miami Seaquarium for removal of the monofilament line. The animal will be released back into the wild once it is medically cleared by veterinarians.

(From wildlifeextra.com)