Pregnant, Long Known Manatee named Dually Rescued Today

Even in this time of pandemic crisis, members of Dolphin Research Center’s (DRC) manatee rescue team responded to help a long time manatee friend in dire need of assistance. Known as a “serial entangler”, Dually is a large, 11 foot long female whom DRC has assisted multiple times over the last 20 plus years for severe monofilament fishing line entanglements around both of her pectoral flippers. Personnel from DRC, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Miami Seaquarium (MSQ) and Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responders (DPMMR) combined efforts to surround Dually with a net and bring her onto land for treatment.

Miami Seaquarium veterinarian Dr. Maya Rodriguez performed a thorough examination, including an ultrasound that revealed the manatee is approximately seven months pregnant. After the veterinarian painstakingly removed large amounts of accumulated line from both of Dually’s flippers and disinfected the injuries, the rescue teams carried her back into the water and released her.

This single animal’s plight, the afternoon before the world celebrates Earth Day, is a stunning reminder of the need for mankind to be vigilant in our conservation practices. DRC has assisted countless manatees over the years who suffered from severe entanglement in discarded fishing line and other forms of marine debris. We must all do better to protect all marine life and the environment in which they live.