Marine biologists are awaiting necropsy results to determine what killed a manatee recovered from the water near downtown Mobile.
Staff and volunteers with the Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network pulled the animal from the Mobile River on Wednesday. Video of the recovery shows crews handling the manatee’s body; some viewers may find the footage graphic.
Officials urge anyone who spots a sick, injured or dead marine mammal in Alabama waters not to push it back into the water. Instead, they ask the public to call the Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network at 1-877-WHALE-HELP.