Florida zoo welcomes its smallest-ever rescued manatee calf

Sept. 3 (UPI) -- A Florida zoo said a 44-pound baby manatee being cared for by the facility's staff is the youngest orphaned manatee ever treated at the zoo.

ZooTampa at Lowry Park said in a Facebook post that the manatee was found in the Gulf of Mexico in Sarasota County and was rescued by Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium staff and field officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The zoo said the manatee weighs only 44 pounds, making it "the smallest rescued orphan calf we have treated."

The manatee "is doing well under the careful watch and care of our animal care team and veterinary team," the zoo said.