ORLANDO, Fla. – A manatee that was rescued and rehabilitated once before is now in the care of SeaWorld Orlando.
According to a Facebook post from Florida Fish and Wildlife, the thin manatee was found entrapped in Clam Bayou, a retention pond system in St. Petersburg. Teams from ZooTampa, Clearwater Marine Aquarium and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office all assisted in the successful rescue.
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During an examination, crews were able to identify the manatee as Flapjack by scanning for a Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tag. The implantable microchips are widely used by wildlife experts to help with identification.
Flapjack was first rescued in September 2021 after being spotted in the Weeki Watchee River. The manatee was so emaciated at the time of the rescue, animal care teams at ZooTampa thought he would not survive. Flapjack made a full recovery at the zoo and was released into the wild in August 2022.
Flapjack’s thin condition as well as health history were deciding factors in support of further care and rehabilitation, so he was transported to SeaWorld Orlando.
For more information on SeaWorld’s commitment to animal rescue, rehabilitation and return, click here.
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