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Photos: Manatee with fishing lure caught in mouth rescued on Florida beach

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Published  April 24, 2025 7:42am EDT
Florida
FOX 13 News

The Brief

    • Rescuers worked to save a manatee that had a fishing lure caught in its mouth on Melbourne Beach on Tuesday.
    • The Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute says "Calliope" was equipped with tracking gear before being released.

MELBOURNE BEACH, Fla. - A manatee is back in the water after a team of rescuers worked on Earth Day to remove a fishing lure caught in its mouth on a Florida beach.

The backstory:

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute says the manatee, which rescuers named "Calliope," was found on Melbourne Beach on Tuesday.

Staff from FWC, ZooTampa, Volusia County Marine Mammal Stranding, Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, and Save the Manatee Club worked to remove the fishing lure from Calliope's mouth.

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Courtesy: Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

The manatee then underwent a health assessment and received new tracking gear, FWC says, before being released back into the water.

What you can do:

If you spot a manatee that is dead, injured or in distress, FWC urges you to call its Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.

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The Source: This story was written using information and photos from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.

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