Dixie County, FL - A 2-year-old manatee stranded in a small Florida pond far from open water was rescued last week after the storm surge from Hurricane Helene carried it more than a mile inland.
According to a Facebook post by ZooTampa at Lowry Park, the 500-pound juvenile, nicknamed "Gully," was discovered near the Big Bend Wildlife Management Area in Dixie County by a hunter who immediately alerted authorities,
Photos shared by rescuers show the challenging effort to free Gully from the isolated pond, which had become a temporary prison for the young sea cow.
With limited food in the pond, Gully had lost a significant amount of weight, underscoring the urgency of the rescue.
Experts believe Gully’s predicament was caused by the severe storm surge brought on by Hurricane Helene in late September.
“Manatees that are displaced by storm surge waters often remain in unusual locations with limited food sources after the surge recedes,” ZooTampa noted in their post.
The Big Bend region, near Perry, Florida, where Hurricane Helene made landfall, sustained heavy flooding, which likely carried Gully so far from its natural habitat.
Gully is now under the care of wildlife specialists, recovering from the ordeal and receiving much-needed nourishment.