10 manatees rescued in South Carolina and taken to Florida

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Wildlife officials have moved 10 manatees found near a warm water discharge pipe in a South Carolina coastal river back to their more traditional winter home in Florida.

SeaWorld officials said veterinarians checked each one of the manatees captured last week near the Kapstone Paper and Packaging mill on the Cooper River.

Officials told media outlets that nine of the manatees were released in Brevard County, Florida, while one manatee was kept at a zoo after showing signs of stress from the cold.

Manatees are migrating to Florida as the ocean water cools, but sometimes the animals will stay in a warm pool of water and get trapped.

Officials ask anyone who sees a manatee in South Carolina waters to report it at http://www.dnr.sc.gov/manatee/sight.htm so the animal can be rescued.