Manatee Named Pilgrim Will Settle Back Into The Wild
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A manatee that was suffering from an injury and received help at the Miami Seaquarium will be released back into the wild.
Manatee Pilgrim was rescued in the Florida Keys in November of 2012.
Pilgrim was extremely buoyant and doctors learned he had a pneumothorax condition known as a "folded" lung.
When rescued, Pilgrim weighed just 200 pounds, but after more than a year of care, he will be released at 640 pounds.
Pilgrim was taken into care very young so to be sure he succeeds in the wild, biologists will satellite tag him and monitor his travels.
Read more about Pilgrim's rescue.
He will be released in his native waters off of Key Largo where he was found sometime this week.
The public can track Pilgrim by clicking here.
If a manatee is observed in distress or a dead manatee is sighted, contact the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC.