Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said its teams are responding to reports of stranded manatees after Hurricane Helene ripped through the state last week.

Helene made landfall in Florida’s panhandle as a Category 4 storm last Tuesday night, bringing with it heavy rainfall, high winds and flooding that also struck other Southeastern states. As of Tuesday, the death toll from Helene had reached 159, the Associated Press reported, as search and rescue operations continue throughout hard-hit states.

The storm has also wreaked havoc on the wildlife caught in its path. The FWC said in a post to its social media accounts on Monday that its biologists were working to rescue manatees—a protected animal under Florida state law—that were beached.

“Manatees can become stranded during rough weather conditions, such as a hurricane or tropical storm,” the FWC said Monday in a post on its Facebook page.

It added in its post, “While our top priority has been to help residents and visitors of Florida recover from the impacts of Helene, we are also working swiftly to rehabilitate and conserve these gentle giants.”

Images of rescued manatees were shared by the FWC on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday afternoon.

Manatees are native to Florida and inhabit rivers, springs and coastal areas throughout the state. The nonprofit Save the Manatee Club, based in Florida, said in a release to its website last week that it was working with its partners, including the FWC, to “actively” monitor the aftermath of Helene and its impact on the manatee population.

“As Florida natives, manatees are well-adapted to the extreme weather events in our state,” the release read in part. “However, they do face significant risk during powerful storms. Storm surges can cause manatees to go far inland to areas they would not normally inhabit, where they can become trapped when the water recedes.”

The FWC urged the public to not attempt to handle any stranded manatees and instead call the state’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-392 to alert officials of the animals’ location.

It added that “manatees stranded by storms may need immediate medical attention from wildlife experts.” Residents can report incidents of other injured wildlife to the Wildlife Alert Hotline or submit a report online through this link.

Newsweek reached out to the FWC for additional information via email on Tuesday.

The FWC was deployed over the weekend as part of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ Operation Blue Ridge, a multistate agency effort to assist recovery efforts in North Carolina and Tennessee, according to a release from the governor’s office Sunday.

The FWC wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday that Operation Blue Ridge “also aims to help Floridians needing rescue in Western North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the Tennessee Valley.”

“FWC stands ready to continue assisting our neighbors as they recover from Hurricane Helene’s effects,” the post added.

TAMPA, Fla. – The Florida State Fair is already gearing up for its 2025 event.

The theme for the 2025 fair is ‘Let Your Fun Shine’ and, for the first time, a mobile app highlighting attractions, new fair food, agricultural events, exhibits, and more, will be available to fairgoers.

Advanced fair tickets are available for $5 with no added fees during a 12-hour flash sale on Tuesday, Oct. 1 from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. or while supplies last. 

“The Florida State Fair is always looking to bring an improved experience to our guests, and this year we are focused on encouraging every fairgoer to let their fun shine,” said Cheryl Flood, chief executive officer of the Florida State Fair. “We are incredibly excited to offer families this low price with our first flash sale of the season, and we look forward to soon providing more resources for our guests to explore new features and plan their perfect day at the fair.”

READ: New Florida laws take effect Oct. 1: Here’s what you need to know

The Florida State Fair will open to guests at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 6, and runs through Monday, Feb. 17.

During the fair, all guests 17 years or younger must be accompanied by an admission-paying parent or guardian, 21 years of age or older with a valid ID beginning at 6 p.m. each evening.

The accompanying adult must show a valid ID for entry and can supervise up to four persons, 17 years of age or younger. Additionally, all admission gates will close at 9 p.m. daily.

Click here to purchase tickets during the flash sale on Oct. 1.

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA:

The Florida Lottery offers several draw games for those hoping to win one of the available jackpots. Here’s a look at the winning numbers for games played on Monday, September 30, 2024

Winning Powerball numbers from September 30 drawing

09-11-30-43-69, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from September 30 drawing

17-32-39-43-53, Powerball: 02

Winning Cash4Life numbers from September 30 drawing

14-16-44-46-52, Cash Ball: 04

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from September 30 drawing

Midday: 03-07-12-26-36

Evening: 10-19-21-28-30

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from September 30 drawing

Morning: 08

Matinee: 09

Afternoon: 12

Evening: 06

Late Night: 03

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 2 numbers from September 30 drawing

Midday: 4-8, FB: 6

Evening: 6-4, FB: 3

Check Pick 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from September 30 drawing

Midday: 9-9-7, FB: 6

Evening: 0-4-0, FB: 3

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from September 30 drawing

Midday: 1-0-6-0, FB: 6

Evening: 4-7-3-0, FB: 3

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from September 30 drawing

Midday: 9-4-3-8-7, FB: 6

Evening: 7-2-7-9-3, FB: 3

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Where can you buy Florida Lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at any authorized retailer throughout Florida, including gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. To find a retailer near you, go to Find Florida Lottery Retailers.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

• Prizes of $599 or less: Claim at any authorized Florida Lottery retailer or Florida Lottery district office.
• Prizes for $600 to $1 million: Must be claimed in person at any Florida Lottery district office for games that do not offer an annual payment option.
• Prizes greater than $1 million and all prizes with an annual payment option: Must be claimed at Florida Lottery headquarters, except Mega Millions and Powerball prizes, which can be claimed at any Florida Lottery district office.

You also can claim your winnings by mail if the prize is $250,000 or less. Mail your ticket to the Florida Lottery with the required documentation.

Florida law requires public disclosure of winners

If you’re a winner, Florida law mandates the following information is public record:

• Full name
• City of residence
• Game won
• Date won
• Amount won
• Name and location of the retailer where the winning ticket was purchased.

When are the Florida Lottery drawings held?

• Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
• Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
• Florida Lotto: 11:15 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
• Jackpot Triple Play: 11:15 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
• Cash4Life: 9 p.m. daily.
• Fantasy 5: Daily at 1:05 p.m. and 11:15 p.m.
• Cash Pop: Daily at 8:45 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 2:45 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.
• Pick 2, 3, 4, 5: Daily at 1:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Florida digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.