Young Manatee Cut Up By A Boat Is Saved And Brought To Miami

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KEY LARGO (CBSMiami/AP) — Help has arrived for one of Florida's beloved aquatic animals.

Officials say a manatee calf injured by a boat's propeller has been removed from waters so it can be treated in Miami.

News outlets report Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers corralled the 7-foot (2.13-meter) manatee in the shallows of Florida Bay on Thursday.

Mary Stella, director of media and marketing for the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key says the propeller cuts were visible on the manatee's body and tail paddle.

The mammal was spotted last Monday, but the FWC wanted to determine the seriousness of the injuries and see if the manatee was old enough to be away from its mother.

Stella says they were approved when photos showed deep wounds and swelling, indicating internal injuries.

The calf was taken to the Miami Seaquarium for treatment and rehabilitation.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)