REDINGTON BEACH – On the morning of Thursday, August 14, 2025, multiple agencies responded to reports of a stranded manatee in the 15700 block of Gulf Boulevard.
According to a post from the Myfwc Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, sea turtle nesting surveyors spotted an adult female manatee stranded on the beach, lethargic and breathing rapidly.
Personnel from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, and Clearwater Marine Aquarium tended to the immediate needs of the animal while awaiting the arrival of ZooTampa at Lowry Park.
According to initial information, the female manatee may have gotten caught up in a “mating herd,” a highly active physical interaction among manatees. The animal was believed to be experiencing fatigue and possible bruising from the activity. The white patches on her back and tail are areas where the top layer of skin is missing due to mating behavior by males, according to the FWC post.
Upon arrival, personnel carried the manatee to ZooTampa’s Rescue-1 transport vehicle parked on Gulf Boulevard. Shortly after 10 a.m., the marine mammal was taken to the ZooTampa Rehabilitation Facility in Tampa for further evaluation and care by marine biologists and veterinarians.
She is resting and will be released back to the wild once given a clean bill of health.
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If you see a sick, injured, or standed manatee, please call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1-888-404-FWCC(3922)