Citrus County marine deputies partner with FWC to rescue injured manatee

CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) marine deputies are partnering with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to rescue an injured manatee Saturday. CCSO received reports Saturday of a large injured manatee within the Homosassa River. Deputies located the injured manatee and notified the FWC's Wildlife Research Department to determine the best course of action. A biologist in the FWC's Wildlife Research Department said that a large crew of highly trained personnel will need to rescue the animal due to the manatee's size. The manatee has currently made itself comfortable in a cove.

However, if you see the injured manatee traveling in open waters, call FWC Dispatch at 904-359-6584 to report its direction of travel. CCSO said not to disturb, attempt to corral or rescue the injured manatee if you happen to come across it. The manatee will be transported to ZooTampa in a specialized box truck for treatment. "It is very important for everyone's safety that we listen to the biologist's instructions and await the trained crew's arrival," said Sheriff Mike Prendergast.

"Although we don't know exactly where in our waterways this manatee was injured, I want to remind all boaters to observe all posted signs: No Wake Zones, Speed Limits, and Idle Speeds."