Mitch the Manatee Rescued in Belize!
Here’s some wonderful news that will touch your heart! Mitch the manatee, one of my baby manatee buddies, is recovering nicely after being rescued by Mitchell Thomas and several volunteers from Wildtracks in Belize. Wildtracks Manatee and Primate Rehabilitation is a non-profit organization. It was founded in 1990 in Belize.
Mitchell Thomas said, “This little man was found in the waters of Belize struggling to stay at the surface after his mother was presumably killed by a boat.” Mitchell continued and said, “An adult manatee was found dead nearby.”
The young manatee was wrapped up in a wet t-shirt and sprayed with water so his skin wouldn’t dry out. Thomas told BuzzFeed News, “His body seized and thrashed every time he tried to take a breath. Each breath was a wheezy gasp. He was in a lot of pain …” On his trip over to Wildtracks, Thomas Mitchell explained, “It was clear he was going to need someone to support him at all hours of the day.” When the little guy was finally put into the intensive care pool, he struggled to stay at the surface. He needed help so he could breathe. For that very important first week, someone stayed with little Mitch to monitor him 24 hours a day.
All of the Wildtrack volunteers took turns watching and helping Mitch. As time went on, little Mitch loved staying close to the volunteers and resting on their knees. Thomas said, “Without his mother, I think he was just searching for the interaction and attention he would have been receiving from her.”
Little Mitch is doing better each day. He now shares the pool with another rescued calf. “It’s great knowing that he will one day be returned to the wild where he belongs,” Thomas Mitchell said.
If you see any sick or injured manatees, please call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at: 1-888-404-FWCC. They are the folks who are responsible for rescuing us in Florida. The folks at Wildtracks are responsible for rescuing us in Belize.
Here’s a cool link for you to learn more about how we’re rescued and brought into rehabilitation …
Here’s another awesome link to learn more about manatees …
~ Kobee Manatee
