An effort between law enforcement and marine biologists and experts led to the rescue of an injured manatee.

VENICE, Fla. — Marine life experts and law enforcement marine units helped rescue a manatee in distress that was found in the area of Hatchett Creek.

The Venice Police Department said that over the weekend, its marine units, along with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, responded to a report about the manatee in question.

Police say that when the officers arrived, they located the injured manatee, who was exhibiting signs of cold stress lesions as well as visible scarring along its tail.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists, as well as staff from Mote Marine Laboratory, were called in to assist the law enforcement agencies, police said.

“With support from Sea Tow Venice, marine units safely removed the manatee, which was then transported by Mote to the ZooTampa at Lowry Park for specialized rehabilitation and recovery,” Venice police said.

If you encounter a manatee, dolphin, whale or sea turtle that appears to be injured, distressed, entangled or dead, you can report it at the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1-888-404-3922. 

You can also reach out to report sick, injured or dead dolphins, whales and sea turtles at the Mote Marine Stranding Investigations Program at 888-345-2335.

The Florida manatee, a native species found in Florida’s waterways, was classified in 2017 as a threatened species, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.






Last month, ZooTampa announced that it released 26 rehabilitated manatees into Florida waters during 2025, marking its highest number of releases during a 12-month period in its history.

“The Zoo’s David A. Straz, Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center, the largest nonprofit facility of its kind in the U.S., has cared for over 615 manatees since 1991, with the majority successfully returned to their natural habitat,” a ZooTampa spokesperson said during January.