A new partnership has returned a matinee to Florida waters after its eight-month rehabilitation journey.

SeaWorld and DHL announced Thursday that they have joined forces to transport the manatee from Texas to Florida via air following its successful rehabilitation at SeaWorld San Antonio.

The manatee was rescued last December by the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network, SeaWorld San Antonio, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas State Aquarium, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Galveston Bay Foundation and Texas authorities.

READ: Summer Savings at SeaWorld and Kennedy Space Center

The manatee was found suffering from cold stress, flipper damage, severe weight lost and more in Texas waters. While manatees are typically known to reside in Florida, there have been increased seasonal migrations to other southern states in recent years.

Members of the Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Partnership — including SeaWorld Orlando, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute and Dauphin Island Sea Lab — returned the manatee to Kings Bay in Crystal Lake on Thursday morning.

The manatee was transferred in a “custom, state-of-the-art container built specifically for manatees.”

READ: SeaWorld announces 7th roller coaster, opening in 2023

The manatee population is declining because of an ongoing unusual mortality event on the Atlantic Coast, according to a news release.

The manatee arrived at SeaWorld Orlando for a 48-hour observation period and once clear, was returned to Crystal River’s warm waters.

This marks the third manatee that SeaWorld San Antonio has rehabilitated due to an “uncommon presence of manatees in Texas,” according to a news release.

READ: SeaWorld Orlando announces more details for Howl-O-Scream, limited-time sale

Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

Captain Ellis was below deck in bed on the Linda Blanche when his nephew rushed down to alert him to an approaching submarine: “She’s a German submarine, uncle, and she’s close up to us.”

The boater was about to launch when he noticed something strange attached to his motor.

A brown bear cub fishing next to mom atop a waterfall in Alaska was caught on video slipping into the turbulence below and briefly disappearing.

Don Siefkes of San Leandro follows up on his recent letter to the editor regarding transferring water from the Mississippi to the West.

The Polish Academy of Sciences said the domestic cat is an "invasive alien species" based on its negative impact on local wildlife.

When Mark Woods paddleboards in Florida, he tries to take comfort in knowing neither he nor the lurking alligators want to be near one another.

Videos circulating on Twitter showed flash floods on the streets of Vegas — one of the US's driest major cities.

Parts of L.A. have high water tables, including one spot that's tapping 30 million gallons a year.

At its brightest point, the meteor was two times brighter than a full moon, experts say.

Mark Schein sings from the back row, aware that many of the people in the other pews view him as their enemy. Mark is a retired farmer, a parent, a grandparent and part of a family that has attended this church, Williamsport United Methodist, since its construction in 1900.

A local 4-year-old Goldendoodle is lucky to be alive after being rescued from alligator infested waters by the Lake County Sheriff Deputies and Lake County Animal Control last week.

Sleep experts support trying a siesta as heat waves hit around the world, saying the practice can help regulate the body temperature and leave you more refreshed.

Beach-goers are often concerned about the possibility of encountering a shark in the ocean. Here's what to do if it happens.

The National Weather Service of Las Vegas issued a formal Severe Thunderstorm Warning for the valley and encourages the public to avoid traveling unless necessary.

The new rule to allow the killing of 200 juvenile goliaths a year passed 3-1 and in the absence of three commissioners, including FWC chairman Rodney Barreto.

Washington Post data journalist Andrew Van Dam said the mysterious nature of the Midwest intrigued him, so he tried to define it.

Breaking our fossil fuel addiction will help the climate and have a positive effect on the price of food and other goods.

STORY: This American bullfrog species has cost the world economy $16 billionalong with the brown tree snakeby causing problems ranging from crop damage to power outagesAccording to a study the damage was caused between 1986 and 2020The bullfrog had the greatest impact in Europewhile the brown tree snake has multiplied so uncontrollably on some Pacific islandsthat they caused power outages by crawling on electrical equipment

With gas prices on the rise, you may be looking to make the switch to a hybrid or electric vehicle. When choosing a hybrid or EV, you need to take certain factors into consideration that you don't...