Injured manatee wears wetsuit while recovering

MELBOURNE, Fla. — A 10-year-old manatee that was injured by a watercraft near Satellite Beach is now wearing a wetsuit given to her by the SeaWorld Animal Rescue Team.

SeaWorld says the manatee is suffering from buoyancy issues due to a collapsed lung. The condition, known as pneumothorax, was caused by the force of a boat that struck her.

To treat it, veterinarians with SeaWorld needed to draw out fluids and trapped air from around the manatee's lungs. That's where the wetsuit came into play.

The wetsuit, made of 20 square feet of hot pink neoprene, provides stability around the manatee's thoracic cavity, which can help prevent pockets of air and fluid from returning.

The wetsuit was designed 25 years ago for such cases, but SeaWorld sent specific measurements to a manufacturer in this instance.

The manatee has a 2-year-old calf that is still dependent on his mother. They currently remain together.