Baby manatee seeks refuge on Cucumber Beach but passes away
Manatees are under threat by the traffic of boats along Belize’s coastline. The mammals live mostly in rivers but their bodies have been washing up on beaches regularly in the past few months. Earlier today, a baby manatee about two and half to two months old found its way onto the Cucumber Beach at Old Belize on the Western Highway. It was still alive but barely breathing, unfortunately by the time the Coastal Zone Management Authority personnel arrived, it had passed away. One researcher says that it is the carelessness of boaters that is causing the deaths of these animals.
Jamal Galves, Manatee Researcher, CZMAI &Sea 2 Shore Alliance
jamal galves
“We came here and apparently we were a couple minutes late and it died. It had chops wounds to the flipper, which means it may have prevented it from being able to stay above the water and it may have drowned. That’s what I am estimating; I haven’t did the necropsy as yet. But from the apparent chop wound, I could see that that is it. Old Belize is known as a refuge area for these animals. You often have calves come in here injured trying to get help or some assistance. The chop wound seems to have not been that recent but it could have been adding up for a while. The animal may have been struggling for a long time. Its stomach is so over lapsed that it shows that it’s dehydrated, probably haven’t eaten in days, probably have been separated from its mother, probably haven’t been cared for in a long time, so I’m surprised the animal help up that long. But we are a little bit late. We lost this one. We’re going to transfer it t a rehabilitation center in Sartenejah, that’s where we have two other animals that have been injured just like this one in rehabilitation and they’re doing quite fine. Hopefully, in a matter of two weeks or so it would have been up and going without wonderful staff there at Wild tracks.”
Galves said that on Tuesday, they also recovered the body of a manatee that had the customary cuts associated with boat engine propellers.
poor lil guy no more than 2 months old ahhh
Wow, it looks really small. Too many babies dying from boat related issues. Hopefully Cucumber Beach can put up some signs within their area.
Hopefully someone can work on getting some fund to booost the preservation of these mamals. Great Job Paul & Zoe along with the Wildtrack Team.
poor lee thing I hope he rest in peace
i think that gov. should implement some kind of charges of boats that are seen speeding close to these mamals habitats. to all boat drivers PLEASE consider these creatures they are harmless to us and lets be more careful when passing by, even if you’re ina hurry be more carfeul. it’s a pity a young manatee is gone from our rivers. ‘it’s good idea to put signs that says slow down manatees swimming near by or something that can get boat drivers attention.
It’s not that it got injured in the immediate area. its down more. they just normally go to the old belize area for refuge when they get hit.
I still wanna know if ….. part tastes like chicken, and part like pork, and part like beef. Soh me hear.
Sad..
O poor things these ppl on boats shood be more carful I love the liltle mantees I evean have ear rings of them that I got in florida I am wering them now but I do think ppl should watch out 4 animles like these it’s us that is causing this and it is us that can stop it if we all work 2geather to save animales kuse to many anmala get hert and aboused every day all mostly buy us humans for excAmple mantees as shown up here and cats and turltlrs andsny more I think our world has turned in to some thing sad and crazy and I know I want to help with this kind of stuff every ware
I am Alex and I oprpve of this mesage
Ps if u r wondering i am a girl
Sorry for my typos
hahahahahhahaha aim the one who hit it with a boat
im the one who hit it sorry for typos and im not sorry for hitting it
wow that wasnt me? some one was on my laptop ppoor little guy