Juanita, the beloved manatee rescued by teams of the National Acuarium and the Dominican Foundation for Marine Studies (Fundemar), was found dead this Saturday, 20 August 2022 in the Isabela River, the northern section of the Ozama River.
An autopsy revealed the manatee had a major heart attack. The reasons that caused the heart attack have not been determined. The autopsy also found numerous plastic remains in her intestines. The autopsy did not show any signs of blows or violence.
Juanita was one of three manatees who had been living at the National Aquarium that were sent back to live in the wild in December 2021. The two other manatees, Pepe and Lupita have stayed in the Bayahibe beach area where the three were released. Juanita had instead made the trek west to reside in the Ozama River area. Juanita had lived for most of her life (around eight years) in the nearby National Aquarium. In the garbage-infested waters of the river, Juanita fed on the river lilacs and abundant plastic garbage.
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Diario Libre
Diario Libre
Hoy
22 August 2022