Friends discovery, Facebook post save 2 manatees on Sarasota Bay

[Zorro]

Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune

A couple of friends who were curious what the outer bands of Hurricane Irma were stirring up outside their shelter looked at the unusual receding waters of Sarasota Bay and noticed two manatees stranded on land that was once covered by water.

Irma still more than 100 miles away from Sarasota has sucked water inward toward its eyewall causing hundreds of yards of shoreline to vanish quickly in the Bay and beaching the sea cows.

The five friends — Tony Faradini-Campos, Emily Reisinger, Steven Reisinger, Michael Sechler and Donovan Norton — walked out to the “blob” on Sarasota Bay and photographed the manatees hoping that by sharing the story on Facebook officials would come out to rescue the animals.

“We had to do something about it,” said Tony Faradini-Campos of Sarasota. “We couldn’t just let those manatees die out there. We shared the pictures on social media and it just blew up.

Read more: http://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20170910/friends-discovery-facebook-post-save-2-manatees-on-sarasota-bay

[burrowowl]

1. Good for Them!

[Ms. Toad]

2. I was just wondering yesterday if any manatees were at risk. n/t

[Equinox Moon]

3. Yes!!

[Frustratedlady]

4. How did they rescue them?

I can't imagine.

[csziggy]

5. From the provided link in the OP

The post generated over 6,100 shares and over 787 comments within four hours. Two Manatee County deputies and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials noticed the plea for help and responded to the scene to move the animals.

“They put some tarps under the manatees and they kind of used that as a luge and got him back out there,” said Faradini-Campos of the animals trapped on the muddy seafloor about a 100 yards from water. “I was a little scared that the tide was going to come in. We were advised just to get out of the Bay for our safety.”

[KY_EnviroGuy]

6. The sad part is...

when the surge side of the storm comes in, folks may be finding manatees, sharks and other poor suffering or dead creatures on their streets and lawns.

Unimaginable damage to creatures of land and sea!

[Frustratedlady]

7. I read the article. I wonder how I missed that paragraph? Watching the Irma coverage and checking

DU at the same time. Multi-tasking skills asleep. Thanks!

[jberryhill]

8. Oh the huge manatee!