Inigo
- Tag Status
- Inactive
- Last Date Tagged
- July 28, 2022
- Gender
- Male
- Tagging Location
- Orange City, Florida
Please note: The presentation of data here does not constitute publication, and the researchers who contributed this data retain all intellectual property rights. Map created by Clearwater Marine Aquarium using Google Maps API. Data & Map © CMA. Use of this map or data without permission is prohibited without the written consent of the researcher. This map is automatically updated with new points each day. The manatee icon location point represents the most recent location received for this manatee. If the most recent point is more than two months old, then the manatee most likely lost their tag ending our ability to track their movement.
Inigo’s Story
A nine-foot male manatee named Inigo was rescued from Merritt Island, Brevard County, Florida by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on December 19, 2021. He was rescued because he had beached himself. He was also thin and only weighed 668 pounds the day of his rescue. Inigo was released on July 28, 2021, at Blue Spring State Park, Orange City, Volusia County. CMA Research Institute outfitted Inigo with a GPS satellite tag and will be monitoring his movements as part of their manatee Northern Atlantic Coast study and as part of a cooperative study with state and federal agencies to assess manatee movement and habitat use as a result of the Unusual Mortality Event. After seven months of rehabilitation, Inigo was released at a weight of 896 pounds.
Manatee Monitoring Updates:
- 8.13.22
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After Inigo’s release on July 28, 2022, at Blue Spring State Park, he exhibited some signs of maladaptation in the form of pacing and avoiding other animals. This is very unusual for adult manatees released, specifically those that received short term critical care. Inigo was monitored extensively for the two weeks he was out and the signs of what could have been some form of stress did not dissipate. He also was never observed feeding and appeared to be losing weight fast. Inigo had evidence of a new boat strike only after 10 days post release. Even though the injury seemed superficial, boat strike encounters can incur more trauma than can be seen. Several days later, a large branch became lodged in his tracking gear and was unable to be removed in his current state. All of these events combined, led to the decision to rescue Inigo so he could receive additional evaluation testing at a critical care facility. Thanks to a joint effort with FWC, Jacksonville Zoo and Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, Inigo was successfully rescued from the St. Johns River on August 13, 2022, and transported to Jacksonville Zoo for care.
All manatee work was conducted under USFWS Research Permit # MA37808A-2.