The efforts to raise the environmental awareness of the population are paying off. Fishermen in Barahona notified Ministry of Environment authorities of a baby manatee that had gone astray from its mother on Saturday, 11 September 2021. The baby had been seen swimming alone and disoriented at La Cienaga beach on Friday. Tragically, in the past, the baby manatee would have been captured and sold as meat for human consumption.
The National Aquarium experts were promptly at the scene and rescued the baby manatee. The biologists determined the baby mammal was in good health and returned her to the waters of the La Cienaga Beach. The experts at the National Aquarium said the baby measured approximately 45 days old since it still had its umbilical cord. The creature measuresed 1.30m in length and weighed 40.6 kg.
The National Aquarium explained they were notified by the Deputy Ministry of Marine Coastal Resources of the Ministry of Environment.
Once determining the baby manatee was in good health, the National Aquarium returned the baby to the waters of the La Cienaga and monitored her. They were able to locate her mother that was desperate in search of the baby.
Also participating in the operation was Fundemar that has carried out many manatee rescue operations in the Bayahibe area.
Diario Libre published on their front page on 13 September 2021 the photo of the baby manatee again with her mother.
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Listin Diario
13 September 2021