APOLLO BEACH, Fla. — After a successful recovery, Corduroy the manatee was released in Apollo Beach on Tuesday morning.
ZooTampa, a member of the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP), released Corduroy at the TECO Manatee Viewing Center.
Corduroy had head trauma and a propeller wound across his face, according to officials with ZooTampa. He survived the initial injury, but had neurologic issues and multiple skull fractures. ZooTampa monitored Corduroy closely and tube-fed him on a daily basis, which resulted in a complete resolution of his neurologic issues and the healing of his skull fractures, officials said.
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ZooTampa also released a juvenile manatee, Pebbles, later that morning. Pebbles was rescued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) last February 2021, according to ZooTampa officials. She had boat strike wounds, cold stress and malnutrition, and weighed 390 lbs. Officials reported that after nearly two years of daily around-the-clock care, she is now a healthy 915 pounds.