Bradenton museum asks for state funding to better care for manatees

BRADENTON, FL (WWSB) - The South Florida Museum in Bradenton is asking the state for a funding boost to better care for manatees.

The museum is requesting around $400,000 from the state to make improvements to its manatee rehabilitation habitat.

Manatees are transferred to that habitat, after being initially cared for at a hospital, to be treated for all sorts of illnesses or injuries including red tide, entanglements, boat strikes and cold stress.

The museum says they need money to pay for three big projects.

They want to purchase a rescue vehicle to transport rehabilitating manatees between facilities and for release back to the wild. The vehicle would allow climate control and would be structurally reinforced to handle large animals.

The museum also wants to replace its 26-year-old roof and they'd like to purchase a generator, so they can still provide care for their animals if they lose power.

The pools have to stay at a certain temperature and some medications have to be refrigerated.