A manatee rescued from the Indian River Lagoon near Titusville is recovering at SeaWorld Orlando after a crab-trap entanglement led to the amputation of her right flipper.
The animal, now named Southpaw, was found struggling through heavy debris in September by waterfront resident Terry Morse and her family. Morse alerted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), supplying photographs of the distressed manatee.
Wildlife officers transported her to SeaWorld’s rehabilitation facility, where veterinary specialists worked to remove the commercial fishing gear from her flipper. The limb was too badly damaged to save, but the team freed Southpaw from the line and stabilised her condition.
Senior zoological specialist Mallorie McCormack said the rescuers “were able to remove that line”. Southpaw is now eating independently and receiving round-the-clock care as she adjusts to life with one flipper. ([wftv.com](https://www.wftv.com/news/local/florida-manatee-recovering-after-crab-trap-entanglement-leads-flipper-amputation/KHKGXLDZWZA4XPXHRCKDDQYMFU/?outputType=amp))
Southpaw’s recovery at SeaWorld Orlando
Her treatment includes medication and close monitoring to ensure she gains weight. SeaWorld staff expect her to make a full recovery and believe she will eventually be suitable for release.
Morse, along with relatives and friends, visited SeaWorld on Wednesday to see the animal she helped bring to safety.
“I feel very honoured to be a part of her, a little part of her journey back to a second chance,” she said.
The FWC warns that fishing line, anchor lines and crab-trap buoys can wrap around a manatee’s flippers, sometimes causing severe injury or the loss of a limb. Anyone who spots an entangled or injured manatee is advised not to approach or attempt to remove the equipment, but to report it to the agency’s Wildlife Alert Hotline on 1-888-404-3922. ([myfwc.com](https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/manatee/entanglement/))
There is no confirmed date yet for Southpaw’s return to the coastal waters. The final decision on her release will rest with the FWC once SeaWorld’s veterinary team considers her ready.
