
The goal of the manatee rescue and rehabilitation program is to treat sick and injured manatees and release them back into the wild. The endangered 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. Man-made threats include boat strikes, crushing by flood gates or locks, and entanglement in or ingestion of fishing gear. Sick and injured manatees are reported to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (1-888-404-FWCC) which is responsible for coordinating manatee rescue in Florida. After an animal is rescued, it is taken to a rehabilitation facility. There are three federally permitted manatee rehabilitation facilities: Lowry Park Zoo, Miami Seaquarium, and SeaWorld Florida. Other facilities sometimes hold manatees after they are no longer receiving acute care treatment. These include the following: Cincinnati Zoo, Columbus Zoo, EPCOT's Living Seas, Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park, and SeaWorld California.