- Feb 5, 2002
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Despite weighing a tiny fraction of the creature’s massive bulk, a determined Pinellas County deputy leaped into shallow water to save a manatee struggling to breathe.
Cradling it in her arms for over an hour so it could get enough oxygen, Jill Constant saved the animal from becoming a victim of toxic red tide.
An officer from the Marine and Environmental Lands Unit, Constant has received many calls from concerned residents along the Intracoastal Waterway in southwest Florida who don’t understand subtle nuances of manatee behavior.
“It is normal for manatees to swim into culverts, or for groups to thrash around in shallow water and partially beach themselves during mating season,” Constant said.
This time though, the concerned resident had every reason for being so, and Constant didn’t waste a minute longer after arriving on scene in her boat.
Continued below.
www.goodnewsnetwork.org
Cradling it in her arms for over an hour so it could get enough oxygen, Jill Constant saved the animal from becoming a victim of toxic red tide.
An officer from the Marine and Environmental Lands Unit, Constant has received many calls from concerned residents along the Intracoastal Waterway in southwest Florida who don’t understand subtle nuances of manatee behavior.
“It is normal for manatees to swim into culverts, or for groups to thrash around in shallow water and partially beach themselves during mating season,” Constant said.
This time though, the concerned resident had every reason for being so, and Constant didn’t waste a minute longer after arriving on scene in her boat.
Continued below.
Struggling Manatee Was Close to Dying but Florida Deputy Held it Afloat for 2 Hours
It's believed that it was suffering from toxic exposure to red tide, an algal bloom that can cause a sickness akin to poisoning.
www.goodnewsnetwork.org
