Orphaned Baby Manatee Rescued in Amazon
by Stephen Messenger
When it comes to adorable animal babies, few species are quite as cute as Amazonian river manatees — or as vulnerable to environmental threats. Each year, countless manatee calfs are left orphaned after their mothers are either killed by poachers or starved due to rampent overfishing in their river habitat. But fortunately for those defenseless youngsters lucky enough to find rescue, a helping hand is never too far out of reach.
Late last week, fishermen in the Amazon discovered this 2 month-old baby manatee helplessly lingering nearby the body of its mother, likely the victim of poachers, and contacted Friends of the Manatee (AMPA) a conservationist group devoted to protecting the species…
(read more: TreeHugger) (images: AMPA)
