After being deemed healthy enough to travel, a smalltooth sawfish was transported from the Florida Keys to a Sarasota rehabilitation facility Thursday.
It’s the first sawfish rescued since the endangered species started mysteriously dying off earlier this year.
Mote Marine Laboratory and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission made the initial rescue on April 5.
A member of the community reached out to the FWC’s sawfish hotline after seeing the 11-foot male creature moving strangely in the Florida Keys.
At least 38 smalltooth sawfish have been found dead in South Florida waters since January, but the actual total of deaths is believed to be higher.
Sawfish have been spotted abnormally thrashing, spinning in circles and swimming upside down before their deaths. Researchers say small-scale fish have been displaying similar behavior in the Keys where the sawfish inhabit.
Scientists do not know what is causing the unusual behavior, but FWC researchers continue their investigation.
The Florida Legislature has included $2 million in the proposed state budget to figure out what is causing the spike in deaths. However, the governor has yet to sign the plan, and the fiscal year does not start until July 1.
"We have zero source of funding, and I can tell you that Mote has already expended in excess of $100,000 in just this sawfish effort," said Dr. Michael P. Crosby, the president and CEO of Mote.
"Now that we have an animal in the quarantine facilities, I would expect by sometime in May, we will have expended over a quarter million dollars ($250,000) in this effort."
The rescued sawfish was found around Cudjoe Bay and temporarily held at Mote’s Lower Keys facility until its condition stabilized, but the animal still needed critical care.
The team waited several more days until they deemed the animal could make the lengthy drive to Mote’s quarantine facility in Sarasota.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, the sawfish was transported in a 3,000-gallon fish tank for nearly seven hours. Ripley’s Aquariums Conservation Team watched over the sawfish and water quality conditions during transportation.
Mote officials say it will be monitored around the clock and treated with the goal of release after rehabilitation.
"We have great hope and expectation that our approach that's using good sound science and veterinary techniques is going to be successful with this animal," said Crosby.
"We're very hopeful of that, but we also have to steel ourselves to the potential that it may not survive."
To report any sawfish observations, call (844) 4-SAWFISH or email sawfish@myfwc.com.
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