University of Florida Marine Animal Rescue

09/09/2026

We’ve had a few holidays recently dedicated to our marine life; September 4th was Wildlife Day and September 7th was Manatee Day! Today is our combo day, emphasizing the importance of keeping a sharp eye and a caring hand out for aquatic wildlife.

Whenever you’re on the water, it is critical to remain vigilant in looking for marine life to avoid watercraft collisions. Assigning a specific person to be on duty who looks for manatee noses and “footprints”, wearing polarized sunglasses to improve visibility, and utilizing higher vantage points to increase sightability are all great ways to continue conserving and protecting our local wildlife!

To help support our work with aquatic wildlife, please considering donating to our program using the donation link in our bio🔵🟠

09/08/2026

Keaton Beach‼️⚠️ We need your help in verifying a sea turtle report to determine if it needs rescue! Please be on the lookout for a sea turtle with a largely deformed shell and was reported to have difficulty diving. This animal will be easily identifiable due to the large hump on its shell and its constant remaining at the surface. Please refer to the screenshot below to get an idea on how the animal appears from shore.

If you observe this animal please record video from a safe distance and immediately send to UFMAR at 352-477-0344!

08/26/2026

Happy National Dog Day to the support staff of UFMAR! Both in and out of the office, our 4 legged team members are the reigning MVPs🐶🫶🏻

08/19/2026

06/24/2026

To end the school year on a high note, UFMAR and Cedar Key Dolphin Project worked with Mrs. Musgrave's 9-11th grade students to articulate a bottlenose dolphin skeleton. This skeleton is on loan to Cedar Key School from the Florida Museum of Natural History. This dolphin stranded in 1990 and ultimately succumbed to its injuries from a boat strike. We are so proud of the Ag Tech II, Aquaculture, and previous Guardians of the Gulf students for putting together the hardest puzzle we've ever worked on!

The skeleton will be displayed in the school's auditorium for the duration of this loan. It's quite the legacy for these Guardians of the Gulf students to leave behind, and we are honored to have played a part!

06/10/2026

Last night, UFMAR responded to an incidental hook of a sub-adult green sea turtle in Cedar Key. Along with the incidental hook, the turtle was found to have a recent major injury to the front left flipper and shark bites in various stages of healing. Due to the size of the turtle, it was unable to be hoop netted so UFMAR staff and community members had to get creative. Huge shoutout and thank you to all those who assisted in this rescue! Our Cedar Key community never fails us. Additional thank you to Clearwater Marine Aquarium for their ability to admit this animal in for rehabilitation and medical care. Rescue work always takes a village🐢 Please remember to call us at 352-477-0344 for any distressed, deceased or entangled marine mammals and sea turtles🟠🔵 All sea turtle rescue efforts performed under permit # MTP-26-095

05/28/2026

One of the most important events to our community! UFMAR is set up at the annual Cedar Key Hurricane Awareness Day to share our merch and the importance of being on the lookout for displaced marine animals after these storms‼️ Come learn, support, and enjoy free giveaways!

05/10/2026

It's a day to celebrate moms of all stripes (or spots, scales or feathers)! Check out the average gestation/incubation periods of some of our favorite critters. While some in the animal kingdom spend hardly any time waiting to welcome their young, others make our human pregnancy feel short!

Happy Mother’s Day to every kind of mom figure out there 💐

05/10/2026

Happy Mother's Day to all the maternal figures out there! Whether you're 2-legged, 4-legged, or 4-flippered, your role is essential to making the world go round. During this spring season, please remember to keep a careful eye out for all the new marine mammal mothers in our local waters! New moms and calves will be slower moving and often seek out quieter areas to rest and nurse. Please respect their space and proceed with extra caution. Not sure if a marine animal sighting warrants a rescue? UFMAR's reporting hotline is active 24/7 even on holidays: 352-477-0344