Dauphin Island Sea Lab

SeaWorld and DHL Express Partner to Move Rehabilitated Manatee from Texas to Florida for Return

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, July 28, 2022

ORLANDO, Fla. and CINCINNATI, July 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SeaWorld and DHL Express today announced that they have joined forces to transport a manatee from Texas to Florida via air after successfully being rehabilitated for eight months at SeaWorld San Antonio. The manatee was rescued in December 2021 by the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network, SeaWorld San Antonio, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas State Aquarium, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Galveston Bay Foundation and Texas authorities and transported to SeaWorld San Antonio for rehabilitation. Members of the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP) – SeaWorld Orlando, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute (CMARI) and Dauphin Island Sea Lab – worked together to return the manatee to Kings Bay in Crystal River this morning. As the manatee population continues to decline as a result of an ongoing Unusual Mortality Event (UME) on the Atlantic Coast, the collaboration of dedicated partners across the nation is necessary to protect and preserve this critical species. In this case, SeaWorld San Antonio stepped up to provide care for this manatee throughout his rehabilitation, thus preserving an extra rehabilitation space for a manatee in Florida.

Key Points: 
  • Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas State Aquarium, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Galveston Bay Foundation and Texas authorities and transported to SeaWorld San Antonio for rehabilitation.
  • In this case, SeaWorld San Antonio stepped up to provide care for this manatee throughout his rehabilitation, thus preserving an extra rehabilitation space for a manatee in Florida.
  • This is only the third manatee SeaWorld San Antonio has rehabilitated due to the uncommon presence of manatees in Texas.
  • In the end, SeaWorld turned to longtime partner DHL Express to facilitate the manatee transport.