A routine afternoon on the Orange River near Fort Myers turned into a full-scale wildlife rescue Wednesday, after neighbors spotted an injured mother manatee and her calf struggling in the water. Lee County deputies teamed up with Florida Fish and Wildlife crews on boats and in the air to reach the pair, eventually pulling both animals from the river and transporting them to ZooTampa for medical evaluation.
Drone Footage Captures High-Stakes River Rescue
Drone video released by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office shows technicians and deputies working in tight formation, using large netting to guide the calf, then the larger injured female, up onto a rescue boat. Crews move slowly and deliberately around the animals, trying to keep them as calm as possible while still getting them out of the water.
According to FOX 13 Tampa Bay, the sheriff’s Marine Unit, Advanced Technology Support Unit and drone pilots coordinated with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to pull off the operation.
Neighbors Line Riverbank As Teams Move In
The rescue unfolded near the Orange Harbor community, close enough that residents could watch the whole scene from the riverbank. Reporters on site said multiple teams rotated through different roles, from guiding the animals to stabilizing them on shore. Witnesses told reporters it took 14 people to lift the adult manatee into the rescue unit.
Gulf Coast News reported that dive teams from Port Charlotte joined the effort and that neighbors clustered along the water’s edge as the manatees were finally carried away.
FWC Numbers Show Worrying Spike In Manatee Deaths
The preliminary manatee mortality table from FWC lists 155 manatee deaths statewide between Jan. 1 and Feb. 20, 2026, with dozens of those losses recorded in Lee County. Many of the entries are tied to cold stress and watercraft collisions.
The report breaks fatalities down by county and probable cause, and the agency notes that rescued animals are taken to permitted acute-care facilities such as ZooTampa. For sick, injured or dead manatees, the commission directs the public to call its Wildlife Alert hotline at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922), according to FWC.
What Officials Want Boaters And Residents To Know
Authorities say Wednesday’s rescue is a clear example of how quick reporting and a coordinated response can make the difference for vulnerable wildlife. They are urging boaters to respect slow-speed and no-wake zones, especially as seagrass loss and winter cold stress continue to put pressure on manatee populations.
Gulf Coast News noted that it was community members who first spotted the distressed animals, prompting the call that set the rescue in motion and, officials say, likely prevented a much worse outcome.
