Manatee Rescued from Tar River
Several scientists from NC State’s Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST) participated in the rescue of a female manatee on Monday that was sheltering in the warm-water outflow of a canal off the Tar River in Greenville. The manatee had been sighted several times since October and was underweight and showing skin changes typical of cold stress. According to SeaWorld, “Manatees are particularly vulnerable to cold stress when water temperatures drop below 68°F. With ambient water temperatures in the low 60°s Fahrenheit, the manatee’s condition required immediate intervention. The manatee also had a healing watercraft-related injury to its right side.”
SeaWorld led and organized the rescue with other organizations, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, FWC, Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, and North Carolina Aquariums. North Carolina Aquariums, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, North Carolina State University, UNC-Wilmington, Greenville Utilities Commission, Greenville Police Department, and other North Carolina partners.
The manatee was rescued and then taken to SeaWorld with support from NC State’s College of Veterinary Medicine and CMAST. Personnel from CMAST who participated in the rescue included:
- Dr. Craig Harms, NCSU CMAST faculty
- Jill Sullivan, NC Aquariums marine mammal strandings response biologist
- Emily Christiansen, NC Aquariums head veterinarian and NCSU CMAST DOCS adjunct faculty
- Lori Westmoreland, NC Aquariums associate veterinarian and NCSU CMAST DOCS adjunct faculty
- Carly McCall, NCSU CMAST research specialist
- Heather Broadhurst, NC Aquariums veterinary technician
- Lauren Mumm, Zoological Medicine Resident
- Amanda Day, Exotic Animal Medicine Intern
The manatee will be rehabilitated at SeaWorld and hopefully returned to its natural environment at some point.
