SARASOTA, Florida — Five friends who noticed two manatees stranded after the sea water receded from a bay shared photos on social media, and the photos led to a successful rescue effort.
After the photos of the manatees were shared more than 6,000 times within hours, Sarasota County and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission took notice and responded to the scene to move the huge sea mammals.
See more photos here.
Officials said the receding water would return quickly and reminded people not to walk out onto the exposed Bay bottom.
❤️️Good news! Two manatees were rescued in Sarasota Bay ahead of #Irma | More photos: https://t.co/2uRr5L2rrG pic.twitter.com/Qrq8ZbfPm4
— ActionNewsJax (@ActionNewsJax) September 10, 2017
Manatee rescued: More pics of #Irma storm survivors helping a manatee stranded when storm surge pulled water out. @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/RWf6cUslEn
— Paige Kelton (@PaigeANjax) September 10, 2017
Cox Media Group