Mo the manatee is released: 3rd time's the charm

Aug. 9, 2005 Crystal River, FL:

Mo was released Tuesday in the waters of Crystal River by members of the Manatee Rehabilitation Partnership.  Mo isn't new to Crystal River or to being released from rehabilitation.  This is the third attempt at releasing Mo and scientists are hopeful that this time he will successfully acclimate to the wild. Mo was first rescued as an orphan from the Withlacoochee River in 1994.  After his first release he wound up miles off shore in the Dry Tortugas and was brought back in for rehabilitation.  His second attempt came in 2002 when he was recaptured in Hillsborough County waters off of Tampa Bay.  However, this release is different.  After his last rescue, scientists realized that part of Mo's problem might be that he did not know what types of vegetation to eat in a new salt water environment.  So after spending time at the Lowry Park Zoo, Mo was sent to the Miami Seaquarium to be familiarized with life in salt water and the vegetation he would find there.  Partners of the MRP are confident that with his new training, Mo has a great shot at returning to the wild successfully this time.  He will be tracked by Wildlife Trust biologist Monica Ross who will monitor him by satellite as well as by periodically tracking Mo by boat. 

Stay tuned for more updates on Mo's life in the wild!