A recently deceased sub to young adult manatee was found on the Atsena Otie beach Thursday, by Laura O'Dell and the crew of a Tidewater Tours boat.
The tour company reported the finding to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
No obvious signs of trauma were seen at the time it was first found, except for signs of prior bleeding from the nose.
The FWC sent an officer out to the scene quickly, but weather, tide, and boat problems caused difficulty with its recovery.