A manatee is swimming free again after becoming entangled in crab trap lines near St. Simons Island, thanks to a fishing guide’s report and a multi-agency rescue effort, according to a Department of Natural Resources public statement.
The rescue took place last week on the Mackay and Hampton rivers off St. Simons Island and Brunswick. The incident marked the first documented manatee entanglement in Georgia, according to the announcement.
Manatees are federally protected marine mammals that migrate from Florida to Georgia and the Carolinas each spring into early fall to feed on marsh plants and algae.
How the rescue unfolded
The rescue began when Capt. Davis Galland, a fishing guide from St. Simons, reported seeing a manatee tangled in crab trap lines on July 29. The adult
female had a crab pot line and buoy wrapped tightly around her body, just behind the head and around her right pectoral flipper, according to Jessica Thompson, senior wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Marine Mammal Program.
DNR responded quickly, attaching a satellite tracking tag and cutting away the anchoring crab trap before a storm forced the crew and Galland off the water, according to the announcement.
The next day, a team from multiple agencies, including the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Savannah State University Dolphin Sciences Lab, managed to completely free the manatee.
The plan was to pull the manatee onto Florida FWC’s rescue boat using a specialized net so she could be assessed and all gear removed. However, two smaller manatees, including at least one calf, stayed too close for this approach.
The team worked through alternatives, keeping the safety of the animals and staff in mind. By early afternoon, members had removed the buoy and remaining line, which was beginning to cut into the manatee’s skin, according to the announcement.
Why the rescue was important
The successful effort involved skills learned in disentangling dolphins and North Atlantic right whales from commercial fishing gear, and highlighted the group’s collaborative approach and experience in working with marine mammals.
“We knew the entanglement was life-threatening without human intervention, and that intervening posed a very high risk for the responders and the manatees. I am grateful for our DNR team and for being able to call on colleagues whose collective expertise gained during years of manatee rescues and captures, field observations of manatee behavior, and marine mammal disentanglement made this a success. It was great to be a part of a response team that demonstrated patience – understanding we had to think through all the options – and adaptability, being able to reassess the changing situation to move forward effectively,” Thompson said.
Monica Ross, director of Manatee Research and Conservation at Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, said the rescue required patience, specialized expertise and close coordination among experienced responders.
“It was an honor to be part of a response team that remained adaptable throughout the operation, and this successful outcome reflects what can be accomplished when organizations come together with a shared commitment to protecting marine wildlife,” Ross said.
Terri Calleson, Florida Manatee Recovery Lead at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the rescue gave the female manatee and what appeared to be a dependent calf a chance to thrive and contribute to the wild population for years to come.
“It highlights how USFWS values our conservation partnerships and how manatee rescues truly ‘take a village,’ whether rendering emergency aid or working collaboratively toward species recovery,” Calleson said.
Tara M. Cox, Ph.D., Fuller E. Callaway Professorial Chair in Marine Sciences at Savannah State University, said the rescue was an incredible opportunity for graduate students to learn alongside experienced professionals, expand their field skills and directly contribute to important conservation efforts.
“It was an incredible opportunity for Savannah State University graduate students to learn alongside experienced professionals, expand their field skills and directly contribute to important conservation efforts.”
What to do if you see an entangled manatee
If you see or photograph an entangled, entrapped, injured or dead manatee, contact (800) 2-SAVE-ME (800-272-8363). Provide the date, time, location or coordinates, plus photos, if possible. Do not try to intervene: The on-call biologist will assess the situation.
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This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Rescuers save manatee tangled in crab trap lines near St. Simons
