- Rescued by the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network,
SeaWorld San Antonio, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas State
Aquarium, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Galveston Bay
Foundation and Texas Authorities, the manatee completes eight
months of rehabilitation at SeaWorld San Antonio and is returned to
Florida waters by members of the Manatee Rescue &
Rehabilitation Partnership
- SeaWorld partner DHL Express provides air transportation for
the manatee from Texas to Florida in a custom, state-of-the-art
container built specifically for manatees
- This is the third manatee SeaWorld San Antonio has
rehabilitated for cold stress, due to the uncommon presence of
manatees in Texas
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ORLANDO,
Fla. and CINCINNATI,
July 28,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SeaWorld and DHL Express today
announced that they have joined forces to transport a manatee from
Texas to Florida via air after successfully being rehabilitated for
eight months at SeaWorld San Antonio. The manatee was rescued in
December 2021 by the Texas Marine
Mammal Stranding Network, SeaWorld San Antonio, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Texas State Aquarium, Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department, Galveston Bay Foundation and Texas authorities and
transported to SeaWorld San Antonio for rehabilitation. Members of
the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP) –
SeaWorld Orlando, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS),
Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission (FWC), Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research
Institute (CMARI) and Dauphin Island Sea Lab – worked together to
return the manatee to Kings Bay in Crystal River this morning. As the manatee
population continues to decline as a result of an ongoing Unusual
Mortality Event (UME) on the Atlantic Coast, the collaboration of
dedicated partners across the nation is necessary to protect and
preserve this critical species. In this case, SeaWorld San Antonio
stepped up to provide care for this manatee throughout his
rehabilitation, thus preserving an extra rehabilitation space for a
manatee in Florida.
Steve Aibel, Vice President of
Zoological Operations at SeaWorld San Antonio said they're always
ready to help manatees in need when necessary. As manatees continue
to face threats amidst an unusual mortality event, it's important
that animal care experts across the nation step in to help ensure
the preservation of the precious species.
Earlier this year, the manatee was found suffering from cold
stress, flipper damage, severe weight loss and other ailments in
Texas waters. While manatees are typically known to reside in
Florida, seasonal migrations to
other southern states have increased in recent years. This is only
the third manatee SeaWorld San Antonio has rehabilitated due to the
uncommon presence of manatees in Texas.
Keeping Animals Safe and Secure
During Transport
Due to the size and delicate nature of manatee air transports,
it can be difficult to find adequate transportation. Turtles Fly
Too, an organization that coordinates air transports for animals in
need, worked around the clock to try to secure an aircraft and
pilot to transport this manatee to Florida. In the end, SeaWorld
turned to longtime partner DHL Express to facilitate the manatee
transport.
To make this move possible, DHL Express transported the manatee
in a custom, state-of-the-art container built specifically to hold
manatees and according to the requirements of the International
Animal Transport Association (IATA) – the regulatory group
overseeing all animal transport over land, air or sea. Working with
the IATA, SeaWorld helped establish the first transport unit
standards for the safe transport of cetaceans and manatees, which
includes the use of open-top units designed to allow the animals to
move around and adjust for comfort as needed while remaining safe
within their container.
The container housing the manatee is designed with high-density,
lightweight and insulated foam and secured on a palette attached to
the floor for stability. The manatee rested on an 8" bed of open
cell foam under a layer of 2" closed cell foam that offsets the
weight of the animal and provides maximum comfort. The manatee was
then covered in wool and space blankets to maintain a healthy body
temperature and was constantly monitored during flight by SeaWorld
animal care specialists using laser thermometers. To keep the body
moist, the manatee was misted with water under its blankets
throughout the flight.
"This is our fifth manatee successfully transferred through our
global Hub in Cincinnati this
year, and DHL is thrilled to continue supporting the effort to
preserve and protect the manatee population," said Cain Moodie, SVP of Network Operations and
Aviation for DHL Express Americas. "Moving manatees is an intricate
process, so the speed and reliability of our air network, coupled
with the extensive logistics planning with SeaWorld and their
partners, helps ensure these wonderful creatures get back safely to
their natural habitat."
Rescued and Returned Back into the
Natural Springs of Florida
Following a successful transport from Texas to Florida, the
manatee arrived at SeaWorld Orlando for a 48-hour observation
period to ensure its health had not been impacted by the travel.
Once the manatee was cleared by SeaWorld veterinarians, the manatee
was transported to Kings Bay in Crystal
River where it was returned to the warm waters. The manatee
was tagged for a Dauphin Island Sea Lab project investigating
manatee habitat use and distribution in the Northern Gulf of Mexico.
Since 1976, SeaWorld has helped ill, orphaned, and injured
manatees, rescuing and rehabilitating 1,300 manatees to date. While
this is only the third manatee SeaWorld San Antonio has ever
rehabilitated, SeaWorld Orlando has an extensive history of helping
manatees in need. SeaWorld Orlando's five-acre Rescue
Center has the capacity to care for up to 40 manatees at a
time – the largest space available in the
United States – and its facilities have a wide range of
critical care amenities including lifting floors, top-of-the-line
therapeutic and diagnostic equipment, and expert veterinary
staff.
"As manatees continue to suffer from a dangerous unusual
mortality event, it's more important now than ever to dedicate our
time, energy and resources to ensuring their continued survival,"
said Jon Peterson, VP of Zoological
Operations at SeaWorld Orlando and Head of SeaWorld Orlando Rescue
Team. "We're grateful for the continued partnership and dedication
from organizations like DHL and others who help make rescues,
rehabilitations and returns not only possible, but safe and
successful as well."
SeaWorld also is credited for life-saving innovations in animal
care and treatment for manatees, including developing a special
baby manatee formula adaptable to meet each individual nursing
calf's requirements and creating a hand-feeding baby bottle that
imitates a mother manatee. SeaWorld pioneered manatee treatment
techniques including ultrasound, anesthesia, X-rays, surgery, and
thermography. SeaWorld veterinarians were also the first to put a
cast on an injured manatee.
About SeaWorld Entertainment
SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: SEAS) is a leading theme park
and entertainment company providing experiences that matter, and
inspiring guests to protect animals and the wild wonders of our
world. The Company is one of the world's foremost zoological
organizations and a global leader in animal welfare,
training, husbandry, and veterinary care. The Company
collectively cares for what it believes is one of the largest
zoological collections in the world and has helped lead advances in
the care of animals. The Company also rescues and rehabilitates
marine and terrestrial animals that are ill,
injured, orphaned, or abandoned, with the goal of
returning them to the wild. The SeaWorld® rescue
team has helped more than 40,000 animals in need over the Company's
history. SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. owns or licenses a
portfolio of recognized brands including SeaWorld®,
Busch Gardens®, Aquatica®, Sesame
Place® and Sea Rescue®. Over its more
than 60-year history, the Company has built a diversified portfolio
of 12 destination and regional theme parks that are grouped in key
markets across the United States,
many of which showcase its one-of-a-kind zoological collection. The
Company's theme parks feature a diverse array of rides, shows and
other attractions with broad demographic appeal which deliver
memorable experiences and a strong value proposition for its
guests.
DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics
industry. Our DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of
logistics services ranging from national and international parcel
delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions,
international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial
supply chain management. With about 380,000 employees in more than
220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and
businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade
flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries
including technology, life sciences and healthcare, engineering,
manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility and retail, DHL is
decisively positioned as "The logistics company for the
world".
DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated
revenues of more than 81 billion
euros in 2021. With sustainable business practices and a
commitment to society and the environment, the Group makes a
positive contribution to the world. Deutsche Post DHL Group aims to
achieve zero-emissions logistics by 2050.
Media Contacts:
SeaWorld
|
DHL
|
Mediarelations@seaworld.com
|
Robert
Mintz
|
|
Robert.mintz@dhl.com
|
SeaWorld San
Antonio
|
425-984-4249
|
Chuck Cureau
|
|
chuck.cureau@seaworld.com
|
|
|
|
SeaWorld
Orlando
|
|
Lori Cherry
|
|
Lori.cherry@seaworld.com
|
|
|
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SOURCE SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment