A mother and calf made their way to the golf course pond via a land bridge that was destroyed during Hurricane Irma. The property is working with wildlife officials to prevent more accidents, and is considering making the area a permanent winter sanctuary for the mammals.
Two manatees drowned this week at a golf course pond at Plantation on Crystal River (Fla.). The mother and calf were able to access the golf course by a land bridge that was destroyed during Hurricane Irma, the Tampa Bay, Fla., WFTS ABC affiliate reported.
“We love them,” said General Manager Michael Mancke. “We stop and we see them and you can’t help but feel great when you see them and anything like that to not be with us anymore is terrible.”
And this isn’t the first time a hurricane has caused manatees to get stuck in the golf course pond that is separated from the river leading out to the gulf by a land bridge, WFTS reported.
“Ironically when we had Hurricane Hermine, the water was raised so high that they swam over the bridge,” Mancke said.
See footage below:
Seven manatees were rescued from the same pond last year. The golf course is working with wildlife officials to open the land bridge and prevent more accidents from happening, Mancke said. They’re hoping to make the manatee problem into a manatee habitat, WFTS reported.
“They’re looking at this being a permanent winter sanctuary opportunity for the manatees,” Mancke said. “We do have a number of freshwater springs that provide 72 degree water.”
Fish and Wildlife are still investigating what led up to the mother and her calf drowning in the pond but they say drownings are a common cause of death for the mammals, WFTS reported.
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