Manatee rescued from fishing line entanglement by Florida Keys team during multi-day mission

A manatee is safely back in the water after one of its front flippers was severely entangled in a fishing line in the Florida Keys last week.

On Saturday, the Dolphin Research Center (DRC) led a complex rescue of an injured manatee in close coordination with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Dolphins Plus.

The manatee, known as “Cooley,” was found “suffering from a severe entanglement caused by fishing line wrapped tightly around her pectoral flipper,” the DRC said. According to the organization, Cooley’s rescue took multiple days and required “many hours” of careful effort to safely free her.

Once disentangled, Cool was treated on-site by Dr. Scott Gearhart, the DRC’s veterinarian. After a thorough evaluation and treatment at the rescue location, she was immediately released back into her natural habitat.

According to the DRC, Cooley’s rescue highlighted a “trouble, ongoing issue”: She has been rescued multiple times in her life due to similar entanglement injuries. Additionally, her mother “Dually” — another manatee well-known by the DRC — has also been rescued over a dozen times over the years for the same hazard, the organization said.

“This isn’t just a one-time issue — it’s an ongoing and serious threat to manatees in [Florida] waters,” said Allie Proskovec, the public relations director for the DRC. “When the same animals are needing rescue again and again, it shows how urgent it is for all of us to take better care of our environment.”

According to the DRC, the organization is the only licensed manatee rescue team in the Florida Keys and plays “a critical role in responding to these emergencies and providing expert care for injured wildlife.”

“Fishing line entanglements remain one of the most common and preventable dangers faced by manatees,” the organization said. “DRC urges anglers and the public to properly dispose of fishing line using designated recycling bins and to report injured wildlife immediately to the FWC.”

The DRC advises that if anyone spots a manatee that may be injured, entangled or in distress, to call the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1 (888) 404-FWCC (3922). If you want to learn more about the DRC or support its conservation efforts, visit www.dolphins.org or visit their Facebook and Instagram pages.