After its rescue by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the manatee was rushed to the Miami Seaquarium. Breva… the name given to the ‘survivor’ by workers at the Miami Seaquarium, was nursed back to health with TLC… tender, loving care! When we say Breva was a survivor, it’s because 16 manatee deaths due to red tide related causes were documented in the area earlier this year.
The name the Seaquarium chose, Breva… is taken in part from the scientific name of the Florida red tide organism, which is known as Karenia brevis. A Florida red tide bloom is a higher-than-normal concentration of these microscopic alga. The organism produces a neuro toxin that can affect the central nervous system of marine life, effectively paralyzing the manatee.
When Breva arrived, she was could barely move. In fact, she was so weak, she couldn’t even lift her head. Breva was put in an apparatus to keep her head above water, given antibiotics and monitored by the staff. When she arrived she weighed 670 pounds. When she was released last month, she weighed 880 pounds.
The old saying that “...it takes a village to raise a child,” might be a fitting description of the success of rehabilitating Breva.
The rescue and release brought together many state and local officials and volunteers. Doug Kollmer of Estero and Nick Hoops of Bonita Springs, both graduates of Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), found the injured manatee while kayaking in January. “We noticed what looked like a rock coming out of the water,” Kollmer said. “We paddled over and she was belly up. We thought she was dead.” But as the men paddled around the manatee it started to flip over. “We weren’t going to bring our phones, but we were lucky we did.” Kollmer said.
After phoning FGCU, Doug and Nick stayed with the manatee for an hour keeping boat traffic away. They kept the manatee alive by keeping her head above water with their paddles so that she would not drown and using the paddle to move the manatee every once in a while to make sure it was breathing.
The Lee County Sheriff’s office helped tow the manatee to a small boat ramp off Melody Lane in Bonita Springs where FWC biologists could rescue it. The effort to save Breva included officials from FWC, FWC Law Enforcement, FGCU and the Miami Seaquarium.
“There were a lot of folks that worked hard to make this happen,” said Denise Boyd of FWC. “It was a huge team effort.”
A much heavier and happier Breva traveled back to Bonita Springs last month in a large truck lying on pads and being sprayed with water. It took more than a dozen researchers, officers and volunteers to lift the manatee from the truck and haul her to the water of Estero Bay at the Bay Water Club in Bonita Springs. Once the sling was lowered she slithered under the murky brown water by Bay Water rentals and disappeared. But her story will continue on. James Greco, of FGCU undergraduate admissions videotaped Breva’s journey.
“We will use it for admission recruiting,” Greco said. “It’s good stuff to show what we do at the university.”
On the day of the release, Jodi Tuzinski, animal care manager at the Seaquarium, exclaimed that “… it’s awesome. Anytime we can release one is a great day.”
Lauren Pacholec, a biologist with FWC said that everyone was absolutely thrilled Breva made it through. “This is a great success story. It’s the only one rescued from red tide this winter,” Lauren said with a broad smile.
With a special acknowledgement to Doug Kollmer and Nick Hoops, Kati Therriault said “… you gave it a fighting chance. This is huge” Kati is a biologist with the FWC.
Save the Manatee Club officials say manatees suffering from red tide could have muscle twitches, lack of coordination, labored breathing and an inability to maintain body orientation. They also say that most manatees will recover if rescued in time.
So… if you ever come across a manatee that is obviously in trouble, please report it to the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline (888-404-3922).
It’s hard not to fall in love with these magnificent sea creatures… and if you or someone you know has an interest, the FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute offers a variety of manatee internships including positions that work on photo identification and GIS projects in St. Petersburg, as well as positions that assist field stations with manatee rescue, carcass salvage, and research in other areas around the state.
Some Fun Facts About The Florida Manatee…
The Florida manatee, or sea cow, is a subspecies of the West Indian manatee and is a large aquatic relative of the elephant. These herbivorous’ diet is mostly marine and freshwater plants, which they spend about six-hours a day eating. They only have molars, which are used to grind food. As they wear down and fall out, they are replaced with new teeth.
Manatees can be found in the shallow coastal waters, rivers, and springs of Florida and adjoining states in the winter. Some individuals migrate as far north as the Carolinas or as far west as Louisiana in summer. Manatees have swum as far north as Cape Cod, Massachusetts in recent years! Rarely do they venture into waters that are below 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
Grayish brown in color, manatees have thick, wrinkled skin on which there is often a growth of algae. Their front flippers help them steer or sometimes crawl through shallow water. They also have powerful flat tails that help propel them through the water. Despite their small eyes and lack of outer ears, manatees are thought to see and hear quite well.
Manatees only breathe through their nostrils, since while they are underwater their mouths are occupied with eating! A manatee’s lungs are 2/3 the length of its body. Well known for their gentle, slow-moving nature, manatees have also been known to body surf or barrel roll when playing. They normally rest and feed often. Manatees communicate by squealing under water to demonstrate fear, stress or excitement.
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