JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is preparing to release three manatees that have been healing in the zoo’s Manatee Critical Care Center.
Staff members and veterinarians from the zoo, Sea World, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Sea to Shore and Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa performed diagnostic tests on the docile, warm-blooded creatures to ensure their safe release into the wild.
Veterinarians at Jacksonville Zoo are about to conduct a health assessment on three manatees. We'll have those results for you this afternoon@ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews pic.twitter.com/1qgYkEWfaJ
— Varisa Lall Dass (@vldass) December 13, 2017
All three passed with flying colors.
Sea World rescued two of the manatees, Cassie and Buckeye, as orphans off the coast of South Florida.
Cassie and Buckeye have spent most of their lives at the Jacksonville Zoo. They’re scheduled to be released in February off Cape Canaveral.
Sea World rescued a third manatee off the coast of the Carolinas after it suffered extensive skin damage from cold water stress.
That manatee has been at the zoo for the past three weeks.
Because that manatee is wild, unlike Cassie and Buckeye, who were raised in captivity, veterinarians hope to release her before February.
The aquarium floor lifts up to give vets easy access to the manatees. They will run bloodwork and weight tests @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews pic.twitter.com/dbymQkWdtc
— Varisa Lall Dass (@vldass) December 13, 2017
Jacksonville Zoo veterinarian Meredith Persky spoke about how rewarding the youngsters release is.
“It feels really good to care for something and be able to put it back in the wild so they can make many manatees for generations to come,” Persky said.
Now that the manatees are set to be released, that will leave an opening for the zoo to treat new manatees in the Critical Care Center.
There is our photographer Robert getting exclusive go pro video right next to the manatee. Catch it later. @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews pic.twitter.com/MlyI60noio
— Varisa Lall Dass (@vldass) December 13, 2017
Vets rub Betadine solution on manatees to clean them before marking them and getting bloodwork. It's part of keeping track of the mammals once they're released @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews pic.twitter.com/SiH7Sq93Ak
— Varisa Lall Dass (@vldass) December 13, 2017
This manatee is Cassie. She was a juvenile when Sea World rescued her. Cassie's height (called length) is 239 cm. @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews pic.twitter.com/nAhhLl4hB2
— Varisa Lall Dass (@vldass) December 13, 2017
This pretty girl does not have a name yet. The cold weather caused injuries to her tail. You can see them in this video. Manatees are warm blooded and all their blood goes to regulating their internal organs in cold temps, making their skin more susceptible to injury. pic.twitter.com/e62YKcjjoR
— Varisa Lall Dass (@vldass) December 13, 2017
The diagnostic tests are finished! Cassie and Buckeye passed. They will be released near Cape Canaveral in February pic.twitter.com/1IAiVHIlM6
— Varisa Lall Dass (@vldass) December 13, 2017
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