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Manatee Updates
manatee Name: Coral Lee

Released: February 2010

Data Map

Biography: Coral Lee was rescued as an orphan on October 19, 2007 from the Caloosahatchee River in Cape Coral, Lee County, Florida.  She weighed 75 lbs and measured 123 cm at the time of rescue and was rehabilitated at Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Florida.  She was later transported to Parker Aquarium in Bradenton, Florida and then moved back to Lowry Park Zoo in late November 2009.  Coral Lee was released on February 16, 2010 at Three Sisters in Crystal River, Florida.  She was 690 lbs and 236 cm long on the day of her release.


fieldnotes

Field Notes:

7/14/10-7/27/10: Coral Lee was observed on Saturday, 7/24/10, in the canal near Cutler Spur Road.  She was by herself feeding on leaves and scattered vegetation there and also milling and resting.


6/30/10-7/13/10: Coral Lee was free-belted on Friday, 7/02/10, by Melody at Three Sisters Springs, with the help of Stacy and Mike Dunn, Michael Lusk, Bob Quarles, Josh and Julia Courter, Tracy Colson, and Diane Lewis.  Unfortunately her slender tail again prevented a full tightening of the belt at that point, so on Saturday, 7/03/10, she was captured at the intersection of the canals near Three Sisters at Cutler Spur Road by Michael Lusk, Bob Quarles, Stacy Dunn, Craig Cavanna, Tracy Colson, Diane Lewis, and John Craig Colson, and Melody was then able to tighten the belt properly.  She now wears a blue and white tag.  A good underwater body condition was obtained on her during the process, and her belly is not very rounded, almost flat, but has no folds.  She has been observed several times feeding this week at the Cutler Spur Road intersection for 45-minute to one-hour periods.  Thank you so much to everyone who helped out with the capture!


6/19/10-6/29/10: Coral Lee was located on Tuesday, 6/22/10, in the area around Three Sisters Springs.  Several attempts were made to free-belt her as she milled and fed, but her slender tail enabled her to slip out of it during each attempt.  She now has what appear to be several superficial white scratches on and around her nostrils but otherwise looks good.  At one point she fed for 30 minutes.  We are continuing with attempts to free-belt her.

 


6/09/10 – 6/14/10: Coral Lee was re-released near Kings Spring in Kings Bay by Crystal River Wildlife Refuge, Lowry Park Zoo, and Sea To Shore Alliance on Wednesday, 6/09/10.  However, her tag, tether, and belt were recovered in a canal near Plantation Inn, floating under a raised boat; one side of the belt’s webbing had been pulled from the belt.  Her most prominent identifying feature is the uneven edge of her tail, so hopefully she will be spotted soon.


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2/16/10 -2/28/10:  On Tuesday, 2/16/10, Coral Lee was released at Three Sisters Springs by Lowry Park Zoo and Sea to Shore Alliance. She stayed in the nearby area that afternoon exploring and socializing with the other animals there.   Coral Lee was in Three Sisters Springs on Wednesday, 2/17/10.  She was also there on Tuesday, 2/23/10, where she milled and socialized with Myra and other animals.  She socialized with 8 other animals at Three Sisters Springs on Thursday, 2/25/10, including Little Nap.  On Friday, 2/26/10, she was again at Three Sisters Springs with Little Nap, where they traveled just outside the spring to the sanctuary near the entrance.

3/01/10-3/08/10:   Coral Lee was observed on Monday, 3/01/10, socializing with 10+ animals including LIttle Nap at Three Sisters Springs.

-2/28/10:  On Tuesday, 2/16/10, Coral Lee was released at Three Sisters Springs by Lowry Park Zoo and Sea to Shore Alliance. She stayed in the nearby area that afternoon exploring and socializing with the other animals there.   Coral Lee was in Three Sisters Springs on Wednesday, 2/17/10.  She was also there on Tuesday, 2/23/10, where she milled and socialized with Myra and other animals.  She socialized with 8 other animals at Three Sisters Springs on Thursday, 2/25/10, including Little Nap.  On Friday, 2/26/10, she was again at Three Sisters Springs with Little Nap, where they traveled just outside the spring to the sanctuary near the entrance.

3/01/10-3/08/10:   Coral Lee was observed on Monday, 3/01/10, socializing with 10+ animals including LIttle Nap at Three Sisters Springs.

3/09/10-3/15/10: Coral Lee was observed on Wednesday, 3/10/10, by herself at Three Sisters Springs.  On Saturday, 3/13/10, she was seen milling, socializing, and bottom-resting with 13 animals at Three Sisters including CC and Little Nap.

3/16/10-3/23/10: Coral Lee was milling and socializing in the canal outside Three Sisters Springs on Tuesday, 3/16/10 with at least 2 other animals.  Melody obtained an in-water body condition on her since she has left the spring the least of our Crystal River animals and found she still had a slightly rounded belly so far.

 

3/24/10-3/31/10: Coral Lee milled and socialized with 6 other animals at Three Sisters Springs on Monday, 3/22/10.  She was still at the spring by herself on Thursday, 3/25/10, and Sunday, 3/28/10.  She has not left the spring very often for 4 weeks and will be watched closely in hopes that she will begin to feed.  On Wednesday, 3/31/10, she was observed milling in the canal just outside the spring with 2 other animals.

 

4/01/10-4/06/10: Coral Lee was observed on Monday, 3/29/10, at Three Sisters Springs remaining still on the bottom by herself.  An in-water body condition assessment was obtained and she still looked good.  She seemed responsive in that she followed Melody for about 25 feet after the observation.  On Wednesday morning, 3/31/10, she milled out of the spring into the canal and socialized with 2 other animals.  Since she has not been leaving the spring very much at all and is becoming thin, a rescue is planned for Wednesday, 4/07/10.

 

4/07/10-4/12/10: Coral Lee was captured from Three Sisters Springs on Wednesday, 4/07/10, by Crystal River Wildlife Refuge, USGS, and Sea To Shore Alliance.  She was by herself in the front spring by the dock, having milled into the spring from Gator Hole earlier that morning.  Her appearance was OK but an ultrasound revealed she had lost some fat reserves.  USGS also reported some strange material found in her fecal.  She was brought to Lowry Park Zoo and quickly began socializing and feeding.

 

Coral Lee was observed on Wednesday, 3/10/10, by herself at Three Sisters Springs.  On Saturday, 3/13/10, she was seen milling, socializing, and bottom-resting with 13 animals at Three Sisters including CC and Little Nap.

3/16/10-3/23/10: Coral Lee was milling and socializing in the canal outside Three Sisters Springs on Tuesday, 3/16/10 with at least 2 other animals.  Melody obtained an in-water body condition on her since she has left the spring the least of our Crystal River animals and found she still had a slightly rounded belly so far.

 

3/24/10-3/31/10: Coral Lee milled and socialized with 6 other animals at Three Sisters Springs on Monday, 3/22/10.  She was still at the spring by herself on Thursday, 3/25/10, and Sunday, 3/28/10.  She has not left the spring very often for 4 weeks and will be watched closely in hopes that she will begin to feed.  On Wednesday, 3/31/10, she was observed milling in the canal just outside the spring with 2 other animals.

 

4/01/10-4/06/10: Coral Lee was observed on Monday, 3/29/10, at Three Sisters Springs remaining still on the bottom by herself.  An in-water body condition assessment was obtained and she still looked good.  She seemed responsive in that she followed Melody for about 25 feet after the observation.  On Wednesday morning, 3/31/10, she milled out of the spring into the canal and socialized with 2 other animals.  Since she has not been leaving the spring very much at all and is becoming thin, a rescue is planned for Wednesday, 4/07/10.

 

4/07/10-4/12/10: Coral Lee was captured from Three Sisters Springs on Wednesday, 4/07/10, by Crystal River Wildlife Refuge, USGS, and Sea To Shore Alliance.  She was by herself in the front spring by the dock, having milled into the spring from Gator Hole earlier that morning.  Her appearance was OK but an ultrasound revealed she had lost some fat reserves.  USGS also reported some strange material found in her fecal.  She was brought to Lowry Park Zoo and quickly began socializing and feeding.

 

 




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