Manatee suffering apparent boat strike dies, after being rescued in Mayport area

Jacksonville, FL — A manatee suffering from an apparent boat strike has died, while en route to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ Manatee Critical Care Center.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says the manatee is about 9 ½ feet long. She was rescued from the water in the Mayport area with visible injuries that appear to have been caused by a strike from a watercraft.

FWC says the manatee was excessively buoyant when she was rescued, and that was likely a result of the strike. That buoyancy can impact the manatee’s ability to dive for food and rest.

The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens was prepared to take the manatee in at its Manatee Critical Care Center, but we’re told it died while being transported.

“Our Marine Mammal Response Team assisted FWC in the rescue and did everything we could for the female who was struck by a boat, but it was not enough to get her here for further help. This is all the more reason to encourage boaters to slow down and keep a careful eye out for these animals year-round, especially during the summer,” says a statement from the Zoo’s Deputy Director Dan Maloney.

Curator of Mammals and Marine Mammal Response Team leader Craig Miller says 2018 was a record high year for the number of manatees killed from boat strikes in Florida, with 119. He says it looks like this year is trending even higher.

“We are urging boaters to slow down this summer, wear polarized sunglasses, and stay in deep water whenever possible to minimize manatee strikes,” Miller says.

There are two manatees at the Center right now- BriarRose and Belle. You can see them along the Wild Florida Loop at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.