Partner Facilities Travel to Hilton Head, South Carolina to Assist Trapped Sea Cow

For the high-resolution imagehttps://seaworldparks.box.com/s/1dmxbtkcomyrjw1xeaerm0teqru710an

ORLANDO, Fla. (November 4, 2019) – On Friday November 1, rescue teams from SeaWorld Orlando and Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute in partnership with U.S. Fish and Wildlife, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the National Marine Mammal Foundation, responded to the call to help a distressed manatee in Palmetto Dunes Resort on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina and transport the animal to SeaWorld for additional specialized care. The sub-adult female manatee was found in an enclosed lagoon in the community. SeaWorld and Clearwater are members of the Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP) and worked with the other organizations to help rescue the manatee.

Weighing 856 pounds with a length of 261 cm, the manatee is suffering from minor skin abrasions and is slightly underweight. She was relocated to SeaWorld Orlando where she will receive a full health assessment by the SeaWorld veterinary team, followed by a period of rehabilitation before she is returned to the wild. 

US Fish and Wildlife Service Florida Manatee Recovery Lead Teresa Calleson said,  “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is extremely appreciative of the efforts of Sea World, Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, and the other conservation partners from South Carolina to Florida who stepped up quickly to help this young female manatee in need.  As a result of their efforts, this manatee will get a second chance to contribute to the wild population following rehabilitation.”  

“In Palmetto Dunes, we strive to maintain the health of our waterways and all wildlife that inhabit it. When we found the manatee had navigated into our lagoon system and was not able to find its way back to the ocean, we immediately contacted DNR for assistance. We were fortunate that the rescue teams were able to quickly respond and rescue the manatee,” said Andrew Schumacher, CEO of Palmetto Dunes POA.

The MRP is a cooperative group of non-profit, private, state, and federal entities who work together to monitor the health and survival of rehabilitated and released manatees.  Information about manatees currently being tracked is available at www.manateerescue.org. The Florida manatee is at risk from both natural and man-made causes of injury and mortality. Exposure to red tide, cold stress, and disease are all natural problems that can affect manatees. Human-caused threats include boat strikes, crushing by flood gates or locks, entrapment and entanglement in or ingestion of fishing gear.

All manatee rescue footage produced by SeaWorld under FWS Permit Number MA7701911.

If you see an injured marine animal, you can help by calling the FWC hotline at 1-888-404-3922 or by dialing *FWC on a cellular device.

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Clearwater Marine Aquarium

Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working marine rescue center dedicated to inspiring the human spirit through leadership in education, research, rescue, rehabilitation and release. CMA is home to rescued dolphins, sea turtles, river otters, stingrays, nurse sharks and more. Winter the dolphin’s story of survival, after an injury that caused her to lose her tail, has impacted millions of people around the world. Major motion picture Dolphin Tale (2011) features Winter’s story and its sequel Dolphin Tale 2 (2014) features the incredible story of Hope, a young resident dolphin of CMA. Through Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, CMA conducts important global research focused on protecting manatees, right whales and sea turtles. The mission and potential to change people’s lives differentiates Clearwater Marine Aquarium from any other aquarium in the world. 

USFW

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information on our work and the people who can make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.

SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: SEAS) is a leading theme park and entertainment company providing experiences that matter, and inspiring guests to protect animals and the wild wonders of our world. The Company is one of the world's foremost zoological organizations and a global leader in animal welfare, training, husbandry and veterinary care. The Company collectively cares for what it believes is one of the largest zoological collections in the world and has helped lead advances in the care of animals. The Company also rescues and rehabilitates marine and terrestrial animals that are ill, injured, orphaned or abandoned, with the goal of returning them to the wild. The SeaWorld® rescue team has helped more than 36,000 animals in need over the last 55 years.  SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. owns or licenses a portfolio of recognized brands including SeaWorld, Busch Gardens®, Aquatica®, Sesame Place® and Sea Rescue®. Over its more than 55-year history, the Company has built a diversified portfolio of 12 destination and regional theme parks that are grouped in key markets across the United States, many of which showcase its one-of-a-kind zoological collection. The Company's theme parks feature a diverse array of rides, shows and other attractions with broad demographic appeal which deliver memorable experiences and a strong value proposition for its guests.

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc., a publicly traded company. Visit www.seaworldentertainment.com for more information.

Palmetto Dunes POA

Palmetto Dunes is a residential resort community located at the heart of Hilton Head Island that caters to both the resort visitor and the permanent resident. Ever since it was envisioned and created as an ecologically-friendly beach resort in South Carolina, Palmetto Dunes has been winning accolades for the scope, beauty, luxury and quality of its properties, activities, and amenities. Its 2,000 acres are nestled on three miles of sun-kissed Atlantic Ocean beachfront, hold miles of leisure paths, and most special of all-an 11-mile navigable lagoon unlike any other. In addition to being an award-winning resort and home to two hotels, Palmetto Dunes is a community of both year-round and part-time residents served by the Palmetto Dunes Property Owners Association (PDPOA). The Palmetto Dunes Property Owners Association oversees the common areas of our residential resort community and provides administrative, security, and pass office services for our property owners and guests. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life, strive to protect the natural environment, and improve the resources of our community for all those who live, invest, work, and play here.


SeaWorld Media Contact:
407-363-2280
SWO.PR@SeaWorld.com
 

Clearwater Marine Aquarium Media Contact:
O: 727.441.1790 x259
klong@cmaquarium.org  
 

Palmetto Dunes Property Owners Association
p: 843-785-1109
esimpson@pdpoa.org