Biologists at the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Tequesta Field Station are responsible for all dead and injured manatees in southeastern Florida. The staff from Manatee Research of South Florida supports these efforts by monitoring and assisting injured and entangled manatees throughout the study areas. While manatees are often struck by boats, they often heal from their wounds in the wild. By monitoring the condition of injured manatees in the wild, the stress and expense of capture, transport and rehabilitation in a facility can often be avoided. Efforts are taken to keep manatees in the wild whenever possible – especially females with dependent calves. A capture can be initiated if the injured manatee’s condition worsens. Unless entanglements are deeply embedded or healed over, they can often be removed without having to initiate a rescue and surgery. Manatees that are taken into a rehabilitation facility are re-released into the wild as soon as they have recovered from their injuries.

Injured and Entangled Manatees