FORT MYERS, Fla. – An injured manatee and her calf are recovering after authorities on a boat rescued them from the Orange River near Fort Myers on Thursday.

What we know:

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said its Marine Unit, Advanced Technology Support Unit, drone pilots and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission helped in saving the pair after the mother was found hurt in the water and in need of medical attention.

READ: Missing Florida man found stuck in mud without food or water for days: PFD

Video shows authorities pulling the frantic manatees safely onto the boat in netting before taking them to shore.

Courtesy: Lee County Sheriff’s Office

Both animals will be taken to ZooTampa for evaluation and medical care.

What we don’t know:

LCSO did not say the extent of the mother’s injuries.

By the numbers:

As of Feb. 20, there have been 85 manatee deaths across Florida in 2026, according to the FWC. Last year reportedly saw a total of 632 manatee deaths.

Dig deeper:

Earlier this month, the FWC began investigating a spike in manatee deaths, specifically in Lee County, where officials say 25 were found dead within a week.

READ: FWC investigating spike in manatee deaths over the past week

The FWC believes these manatee deaths could be from several factors: cold stress, a lack of seagrass and polluted waterways.

HAVANA (Reuters) – Four people were killed and seven others were wounded on Feb. 25 after a speedboat from Florida entered Cuban waters and opened fire on Cuban forces, who returned fire, Cuba’s Interior Ministry said.

All four dead were aboard the Florida-based speedboat, and another six were injured, Cuba said. In addition, the Cuban commander of border patrol boat was wounded, Cuba said.

The wounded foreign attackers were evacuated and received medical attention, Cuba said.

The incident took place amid heightened tension between Cuba and the United States, which has blocked virtually all oil shipments to the island, increasing pressure on the Communist-run government. American forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on Jan. 3, removing a key Cuban ally from power.

“Faced with the current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its commitment to protecting its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is a fundamental pillar for the Cuban state in safeguarding its sovereignty and stability in the region,” the Cuban statement said.

Reporting by Daniel Trotta in Havana.

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