As of early May, none of the results were conclusive. Note sidebar . Live manatees exhibiting neuromuscular problems consistent with those previously described in manatees exposed to red tides have been rescued in southwestern Florida and taken to a rehabilitation facility at Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa. The recovery of three females took several days, during which they required assistance to stay afloat for breathing. A male manatee rescued recently by State biologists is expected to recover.
Scientists are hopeful that the die-off is over.
As of May 10, no fresh manatee carcasses had been found since April 25, 1996. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Biological Service will continue to assist Florida Marine Research Institute researchers in their efforts to document and understand this tragic manatee die-off, and will identify research and management needs to prevent or reduce such events in the future. The Florida Marine Research Institute has organized an effective team approach to document this record high mortality. Biologists collected information on dates and locations of dead manatees, and gathered environmental data on water temperatures, salinity, and counts of red tide organisms. The information has been entered into a geographic database so that clues to the manatee deaths can be identified and analyzed.