ORLANDO, Fla. – SeaWorld Orlando returned Reckless and Churro, a mother and calf manatee duo, to waters in Broward County Thursday after being rehabilitated at its rescue center.
According to SeaWorld, the rehabilitation work on the manatees included 12 life-saving procedures and more than 17,000 hours of specialized care.
Reckless and Churro were rescued in Florida last May by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and SeaWorld after Reckless suffered a “catastrophic” boat strike, a SeaWorld news release stated.
The boat strike left Reckless with a shattered shoulder and exposure of deep muscle and tissue that put her in critical condition with life-threatening injuries, according to the release.
Her calf, Churro, had a fresh umbilical cord attached when she came in with her mother and appeared to be no more than two days old.
Employees with the SeaWorld veterinary team said they took “extraordinary measures” to keep the pair together during the rehabilitation process as manatee calves normally depend on their mothers for nutrition and to learn survival skills such as finding food, avoiding predators and seeking out warm water areas.
“The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has an unwavering commitment to manatee conservation,” said Andy Garrett, Statewide Manatee Stranding Coordinator at the FWC. “SeaWorld Orlando’s successful rehabilitation of Reckless and Churro enables two healthy female manatees to return to the wild. This partnership and collaboration play a crucial role in achieving this important conservation goal.”
SeaWorld says its rescue center can care for up to 60 manatees at a time, giving it the largest capacity in the U.S. It also is one of only three critical care centers for manatees in the entire nation.