09/22/2005

By Carol Glassman

While on her rounds, Nelson happened to notice four manatees that were stranded in the Tigertail lagoon. Richie said she believed they were a mating group of two females and two smaller males.

"They came to graze the sea grasses of this lagoon, but due to our full moon phase and the storm, the group must have lost track of time. They became stranded when the tide sucked out so quickly," said Ritchie. "Mary Nelson, on her daily sea turtle monitoring patrol spotted the lumps out in the lagoon, contacted me, and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), who take an average of two hours to arrive."

Richie joined Nelson at the beach to help keep the large mammals comfortable. Other help arrived and as the tide slowly rose they were able to move the manatees out using straps and a manatee hammock.

"Talk about some heavy lifting!" said Richie. "It was the manatees and just 10 of us: the three FWC marine mammal rescue biologists (one a veterinarian), a couple of Rookery Bay scientists and three Natural Resources biologists from Collier County, on a stormy isolated beach." FWC was really excited, said Richie, because they don't have much data in this area and the photo opportunity was so unobtrusive to do, as the manatees were comfortable in the foot-deep water, soft mud, and no harsh sun. They took photos of propeller scars on their backs, fluke (mis) shapes, other unique identity marks to put in their catalog. After the manatees were checked for computer chips - none had any - the vet put one in each of the bigger manatees for future tracking. "None seemed affected by the red tide that is in our area; just their bad luck and to be stranded, waiting for the tide.

It was a really fantastic experience as we got them to move out toward the stormy gulf," Richie said. "We were pelted with stinging rain, splashed by the flukes, amazed by the mammals' sweet nature and close contact. I lost a pair of sunglasses, broke a pair of Tevas, but shared a great afternoon with some Gulf Coast residents that are worth their weight in gold."

Richie's teenage daughter, Maddie, reminded her, "Cool! Mom, this is why you love your job!"

"She is right; I needed this event to remind me and realign me!" said Richie.