Missing manatee could be in region's waterways
Tippecanoe the manatee was released in the Myakka River Feb. 7. His tracking tag was lost about a month later.
By Lauren Adamson, H-T Intern
Published: Friday, May 25, 2012 at 12:27 p.m.
A "missing" poster for Tippecanoe the manatee might read: "Lost, 8-foot long, slow-moving 800-pound blubbery water creature with a wrinkled, whiskery face. Has bulbous shape and small eyes. Still wearing red and yellow collar. If found, please call state wildlife officials."
Seen Tippy?
Anyone who spots a manatee with a red and yellow belt just above its tail is asked to call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at (888) 404-3922.
The group of researchers searching for Tippecanoe are not posting signs, but they did put out an all-points bulletin to the media and public this week seeking help to find the rehabilitated manatee who may be swimming the waters of Sarasota Bay.
Tippecanoe, or "Tippy," is named for the bay he was rescued from three years ago. Tippy was an orphaned calf who was rehabilitated at Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo and other sites.
On Feb. 7, Tippy was ready to return to open water, and was released in the Myakka River.
Tippy was fitted with a tracking device so researchers could check on him periodically. Younger manatees have difficulty adapting to new surroundings, so at only three years old, Tippy needed to be watched, said Monica Ross, a behavioral ecologist at Sea to Shore Alliance.
After a month of socializing with other manatees and eating well, Tippy's monitoring tag came off, though a red and yellow belt he was fitted with stayed on him near his tail. On March 11, Tippy's tag was recovered near Punta Gorda.
Researchers also need to monitor Tippy to see if he finds a safe, warm-water site for winter. "Manatees cannot thermo-regulate like dolphins or whales. They have fat similar to humans so they have to be in warm water to survive the winter," Ross said.
Having the tag allows the researchers to intervene if Tippy gets in trouble. They could return him to a critical care facility if he needs rehabilitation.
Herald Tribune
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