Abstract

Attempts were made to formula-rear two abandoned male Florida manatees. Formula consisted of dairy cream supplemented with protein, fat and carbohydrates by adding vegetables, egg yolk and cereal (commercial baby foods) cod liver oil, Sustagen (Mead Johnson) and Casamino-acid (Difco) to provide a calculated composition of 3.5% carbohydrate, 15% fat and 5% protein. Composition of the formula was based on analysis of manatee milk. One infant survived 80 days in captivity and had a mean daily weight gain of 0.86% of body weight over a 5 week period of gain with a mean daily consumption of 900 mL of formula. During this period the infant appeared to be in good condition and clinical values were similar to those found in other apparently normal adult animals; therefore, the formula was considered to be nutritionally adequate. Seventy-five days after capture, the infant had a sudden sharp drop in food consumption and died 5 days later. Salmonella heidelberg was isolated from chronic inflammatory lesions of the small intestine. The second infant died 24 days after capture. The animal had numerous ulcers of the skin and acute pneumonia. Both infants were free of parasites. Multiple inflammatory lesions suggested bacterial infections. Dermatoses and other bacterial infection are frequently observed in captive manatees particularly following stress. Antibiotics in the formula may be important to successful rearing.

Notes

Manatee Clinical Data

Antibiotic therapy and an environmental temperature of 26°C seem to be  helpful in rearing young manatees.