SeaWorld’s Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation Team continues to aid endangered sea turtles and manatees impacted by the recent wintery blast that had most of the nation in a cold grip.  

Since January 6, when SeaWorld began taking in nearly 300 “cold-stunned” sea turtles from frigid Florida waters, more than 200 of the reptilian refugees have been successfully rehabilitated and released back into warmer seas. This flood of turtles brings the total number rehabilitated by SeaWorld’s Sea Turtle Rescue Program to more than 1,200.

As the sea turtles continued to arrive at SeaWorld, the rescue team began dealing with the next wave of imperiled animals: manatees. In just under two weeks, SeaWorld animal care specialists performed eight rescues.  Six of the manatees -- all cold stress victims -- were brought to the rehabilitation center while others were transported to other facilities to help manage the large influx of new patients.

The first rescue took place on January 12, when a 1-year-old, 280-pound female, was rescued from Sebastian Inlet off of Florida’s east coast. Shortly after a two-day rescue operation took place in Vero Beach, Fla. to rescue two mom and calf pairs from a canal.

The manatees remain in guarded condition and park animal care specialists and veterinarians hope to return them to the wild soon.

-- SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment --