Posted on 01/04/2007 4:38:24 PM PST by mcg2000
CORPUS CHRISTI — Officials were trying to nurse a manatee back to health in an aquarium today, the day after using a net and crane to hoist it from warm waters near a Citgo refinery.
It was the first time one of the endangered animals was rescued by wildlife officials off the Texas coast, far from the warm waters they usually frequent off Florida and Mexico.
"I would say it was in probably critical condition," said Allan Strand, field supervisor for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in South Texas. "It was not difficult to rescue. It was hugging the shoreline."
Strand said the manatee was clinging to a shallow area warmed to about 75 degrees by outflows from a Citgo oil refinery. The surrounding waters are about 59 degrees, too cold for the creatures that lack insulating blubber beneath the skin.
Citgo spokesman David McCollum said oil-free water was going through the outflow.
"It's a clean outflow that just happens to be warmer," McCollum said. "That's why he found our outflow."
Strand said the manatee was an underweight adult measuring 9 feet 10 inches and weighing about 600 pounds. He said officials had not yet identified its gender. It was being cared for at the Texas State Aquarium's Sea Lab.
"It's doing well in the tank," he said. "They're feeding it lettuce and things like that."
Manatees are typically rare off the Texas coast, but they've been seen more frequently in recent years. Since South Texas hasn't had a prolonged freeze in years, Strand said his department has seen two to four a year off Coastal Bend waters for the past six years.
He said this was the aquarium's first attempt to rehabilitate a manatee.
Strand said officials hope to eventually transfer the manatee to Florida.
"measuring 9 feet 10 inches and weighing about 600 pounds"
Wow, that's one overweight Manatee.
Oh, the hugh manatee.
Sorry misread - thought it said 9 to 10 inches.
The title makes it sound like the manatee was in danger because of the refinery, when actually, it was completely the opposite case.
They are learning to walk, again. We keep pushing the striving little retards in the water.
My milk just about came out of my nose when I saw that photo...If there are any bass anglers on this board, don't you think that they look like a giant green pumpkin paddletail worm?
MANATEE...They are big, slow, and good eating!
Manatees don't naturally occur in US waters at all. They were introduced to control the overgrowth of water hyacinth in Florida, which was caused by unregulated dumping of sewage.
Yeah. There's a reason why manatees get run over a lot in Florida... they don't belong there. The 'save the manatee' campaign back in the 80's was wildly successful, and the stupid buggers are spreading out. Sort of. They still don't thrive, per se.
Anyhow, I say we press 'em for safe, renewable oil. I'll convert my truck to run on em!
From the air, they look like a giant, sea going, maggot.
We had one swim up the Houston Ship Channel and show up in Buffalo Bayou near downtown Houston a few years ago. They've got a travelin' jones, those little buggers.
Where did you read that???
My God, just the photos alone have me wetting my pants..
I'm pretty sure they're natives.
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