An endangered sawfish rescued last month in the Florida Keys after it was spotted acting erratically and swimming in circles has died as wildlife officials continue to search for what is causing fish to become distressed. The Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in Sarasota said in a statement that the 11-foot (3.3-meter) smalltooth sawfish died Thursday at the facility, where it had been undergoing treatment. It was rescued April 5 off Cudjoe Key, part of an abnormal fish die-off that has killed at least 45 sawfish and other fish species as well.
An 11-foot long smalltooth sawfish has had quite the journey. The male was rescued from Cudjoe Bay in the Florida Keys, found in distress and swimming in circles on April 5. For the last week, Mote Marine Laboratory provided round-the-clock observation at an interim holding tank at Mote’s Lower Keys facility.