Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Manatee suffers mystery malady

A Tampa zoo's staff hopes to learn why Oakley, transferred from the state park in Homosassa Springs, has lost her appetite.

By BARBARA BEHRENDT
Published September 9, 2005

HOMOSASSA SPRINGS - The animal care staff at Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa is trying to unravel the mystery of what has sickened the 10-year-old manatee named Oakley.

The 1,470-pound animal, which was sent there from her home at the Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park late last week, has lost her appetite and has shown a higher than normal white blood cell count.

The serious health problems didn't appear until the park placed Oakley and two other manatees in the park's new above-ground manatee pool several months ago. The pool has had design and construction problems, including some that lowered the water's visibility. But those are not the reason for Oakley's illness, according to veterinarian Mark Lowe. He provides medical care for the park's animals.

Lowe said Thursday that he doesn't know what has made Oakley ill and that is why he wants the second opinion from Lowry Park Zoo.

Although Oakley had a slightly elevated white cell count when she was placed in the pool, it got worse afterwards.

Her behavior also was curious, Lowe said. She kept to herself, acting almost like a wild manatee. She'd surface to breathe then stay at the bottom of the pool until she needed to breathe again. Her appetite also changed. She would eat carrots but not so much lettuce, which is the opposite of what manatees usually do.

Lowe said he tried antibiotics and changed the antibiotic when that didn't work. But still she didn't improve. Finally, the park staff had to begin to use a tube to hydrate her and mineral oil to keep her digestive system working properly.

During the time Oakley and manatees Willoughby and Holly have lived in the pool, park staff have had to cope with an algae bloom and other water clarity issues. But Lowe said the water quality has met the standards set by the United States Department of Agriculture, which oversees such captive animal habitats.

State park officials are planning to make as much as $80,000 in improvements to the $800,000 pool in the coming months.

At Lowry Park Zoo, the animal care staff Thursday was preparing to take radiographs of Oakley and was observing her. She still is not eating well and is being kept isolated from other Lowry manatees because she also suffers from the same virus as other Homosassa Springs park manatees, said zoo spokeswoman Rachel Nelson.

Lowe said he hopes that the zoo staff can find out what's wrong.

"Sometimes these things can be very frustrating," he said. "Nothing is black and white except for old TV sets."

Barbara Behrendt can be reached at 564-3621 or behrendt@sptimes.com

[Last modified September 9, 2005, 01:18:20]