WATCH: Endangered smalltooth sawfish rescued, transported to Sarasota by Mote Marine Lab

An endangered smalltooth sawfish was transported to Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium on Thursday with the hopes of it being rehabilitated and released.

The smalltooth sawfish was rescued on April 5 after a report was made about an animal swimming in circles in Cudjoe Bay in the Florida Keys. The rescue comes after Mote Marine Laboratory announced a partnership with the FWC and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in March to address smalltooth sawfish erratic behavior and deaths in the Florida Keys.

Mote Marine Laboratory and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission took samples, measurements and tagged the smalltooth sawfish. It was loaded onto a boat and given respiratory assistance as it was taken to a holding tank at a Mote facility in the Lower Keys, where it received round-the-clock care. It was stabilized but remained in critical condition.

The rescue team determined that the sawfish was capable of the several-hour drive to the Mote’s facility in Sarasota on Thursday. It will be monitored and treated until it is fully rehabilitated before a release.

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“This is an unprecedented partnership initiative that is at the core of our mission – using the best available science and technology to rescue, restore, and conserve our precious marine species, habitats, and ecosystems,” said Michael Crosby, CEO and President of Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium.

The smalltooth sawfish were historically found in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, South America and parts of western and southern Africa, but Florida remains as the sole stronghold for the species.

The continued death of smalltooth sawfish in South Florida could negatively impact population recovery that has been made since the species was listed under the Endangered Species Act of 2002, according to Mote Marine Laboratory.

Scientists don’t know what’s causing the erratic behavior, but NOAA, FWC and Mote Marine Laboratory are working together to rescue, rehabilitate and release smalltooth sawfish that are impacted.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: WATCH: Endangered smalltooth sawfish rescued, transported to Sarasota