The Manatee Who Lost a Flipper to a Crab Trap Now Has a Name, Southpaw, and She Is Expected to Be Releasable
She lost a flipper, but not her shot at going home. The manatee who had her right flipper amputated after a crab trap entanglement now has a name, Southpaw, and she is expected to be releasable once she recovers at SeaWorld Orlando.
FOX 35 Orlando reported Wednesday that "Southpaw should make a full recovery and will be releasable." The station, which first reported her rescue in September, visited her at SeaWorld.
Southpaw out of the water during her care at SeaWorld Orlando. Image: FOX 35 Orlando
How she got here
We first covered her story in September, when she did not have a name yet. Titusville resident Terry Morse spotted her struggling in the Indian River Lagoon, tangled in a crab trap, and alerted state wildlife officials. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) brought her to SeaWorld, where veterinarians could not save the damaged flipper.
SeaWorld senior zoological specialist Mallorie McCormack told FOX 35, "They were able to remove that line."
A visit from the woman who spotted her
Morse came back to see her on Wednesday, October 28, bringing family and friends along to the park. "I feel very honored to be a part of her, a little part of her journey back to a second chance," Morse told FOX 35.
Her advice for anyone who spots an animal in trouble, as she told FOX 35: "If it doesn't look right, doesn't look normal to you, then question it."
The same manatee in a rehabilitation pool, from WFTV Channel 9's September report. Image: WFTV Channel 9
What still has to happen
Southpaw is not ready to go just yet. FOX 35 reports she is still on medication, and her team is watching to make sure she gains weight.
There is also no confirmed release date. In FOX 35's words, "Caregivers do not yet have a confirmed calendar date for releasing the animal back into coastal waters. FWC has the final say on these releases."
She is far from the only one this year. FOX 35 reports that SeaWorld's animal care team has cared for more than 30 manatees at its rescue center in 2026 alone.
A manatee getting a second chance after losing a flipper is about as feel-good as park news gets. Would you go see a manatee release if SeaWorld announced one?
Sources
- FOX 35 Orlando, "Manatee with lost flipper thriving at SeaWorld Orlando: 'A second chance'" (October 28, 2026)
- Parks Magic, September 11, 2026: Manatee loses a flipper to a crab trap, recovering at SeaWorld Orlando
Image credits: FOX 35 Orlando (Southpaw on the deck); WFTV Channel 9 (rehabilitation pool).
