Night Time Manatee Rescue

This evening around 8:30 I heard a great deal of excitement outside my home, it turned out to be the Manatee Rescue truck, several Manatee rescue workers and a group of interested neighbors trying to help a wounded Manatee. It turned out to be a Manatee that had suffered several propeller wounds one of which is so bad that his lung is fully exposed.

After locating the Manatee, workers went into the water to try and get a sling under the Mammal, however, after much discussion the team of rescuers, not wanting to injure the Manatee further,  decided to wait until the morning before attempting the rescue.

Manatees, being extremely docile and slow moving, are subject to injury from boat propellers frequently.
Boaters have to keep their speed slow when in waters frequented by Manatees, some boaters disregard these areas and wind up injuring or killing the Manatees. Here are pictures of the effort so far, I will try to follow the rescue attempt tomorrow.

Manatee Rescue Truck
This truck will be used to transport the Manatee to a hospital if the rescue is successful

Net used to corral the Manatee before a sling is slipped under the animal

Two of the rescue workers

Best known as the Manatee Lady, this volunteer records and monitors the Manatees
She has names for all of them
The instrument in her hand is a monitoring device, placed over the tail of the Manatee for tracking

Rescue workers deciding what the best course of action would be, it was decided to wait until morning

The injured Manatee
If you click on the picture you will see a closer view, that mass just next to the dock is the Manatees lung tissue
exposed to the elements