ORLANDO, Fla –
A 2-week-old baby male manatee found abandoned is now being cared for by the SeaWorld Orlando rescue team.
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The abandoned manatee was found last week in the Halifax River off the east coast of Florida.
The orphaned calf was spotted July 20 and taken to SeaWorld Orlando's rescue facility by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
The calf still had its umbilical cord attached when it arrived at the park. It weighed 58 pounds and was 115 centimeters long. SeaWorld's veterinary team began caring for the calf 24 hours a day, including tube feeding every three hours and daily checkups.
The animal care team is working to acclimate the calf to bottle feeding, which mimics nursing from its mother. The calf is doing well and showing signs of improvement.
SeaWorld Orlando partners with the FWC to decide when a manatee is ready to go back to the ocean as well as the proper time and location for the return. The calf will remain under the care of SeaWorld until it reaches the proper weight and is deemed releasable.
To learn more, visit SeaWorldCares.com and follow the conversation with #SeaWorldCares on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.