Florida winters attract manatees to the FPL Manatee Lagoon in West Palm
Palm Beach Post photographer Greg Lovett spent seven years recording manatees coming to FPL’s Manatee Lagoon in Florida to warm up in the winter.
Five rescued manatees have returned home to Florida after rehabilitation in Ohio, according to information from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and SeaWorld Orlando.
The manatees were placed in specially built containers and shipped more than 1,500 km on a specially planned DHL cargo plane to the Sunshine State, where they will complete rehabilitation before being returned to the waters where they were rescued, the release said.
“For nearly fifty years, we have been honored to contribute to the conservation of manatees, a species essential to the health of our aquatic ecosystems,” said Dr. Joseph Gaspard, vice president of zoological operations at SeaWorld Orlando and vice president of the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership. “Our work with the incredible partners of the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership has allowed us to play a critical role in the rescue, rehabilitation and return of these amazing animals that hold a special place in Florida. natural heritage.”
The release said the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, ZooTampa at Lowry Park and SeaWorld Orlando have been working together for several years to rehabilitate the five orphans.
SeaWorld Orlando said all manatees were relocated before the arrival of Hurricane Milton and arrived safely at their planned destinations.
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Two male manatees have been returned to SeaWorld Orlando
Two orphaned male manatees were rescued as calves in Charlotte County, Florida, on January 20, 2023, and then sent to the Columbus Zoo. When found, they each weighed 174-180 pounds.
“Since arriving at the Columbus Zoo in October 2023, Nighthawk and Mr. Dobak currently weigh 678 pounds and 497 pounds, respectively, and are healthy, independent manatees,” the release said. They will be cared for at SeaWorld Orlando and will be released in winter or early spring of 2025.
Three female manatees heading to ZooTampa
Nolia, Amethyst and Waffles (all female) have been under the care of the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden since their rescue in early 2023. Nolia was rescued from Magnolia Springs in Citrus County while suffering from cold stress. Waffles was brought back to life with his mother at Port of the Islands, and Amethyst was rescued at Idiots Delight Spring in the Kings Bay system near Crystal River in Citrus County.
The three calves received 24-hour intensive care at the Manatee David A. Straz Jr. Critical Care Center. at ZooTampa for approximately 10 months before being shipped to Manatee Springs at the Cincinnati Zoo in October 2023 for further rehabilitation.
“After a year of care, the trio have now reached their goal weight and are ready to return to Florida waters!” Lindsay Garrett, head keeper of the North America section at the Cincinnati Zoo. “Our task as a second-level rehabilitation facility is to provide plenty of food and medical care at the highest level. It is incredibly rewarding to see them healthy and ready to return to their natural habitat.
How are manatees transported?
“Ensuring the safe transportation of these manatees is a very complex process that requires meticulous planning and logistics to prioritize their safety and comfort throughout the journey,” said Laurice Bancroft, senior vice president of network operations at DHL Express Americas. “We are proud to play a key role in supporting the conservation of endangered manatees by leveraging the expertise of our team to contribute to these critical rescue and rehabilitation efforts.”
According to the release, the specially made containers are mounted on pallets attached to the floor of the planing machine. Inside, the manatees rested on an 8-inch foam bed and covered with wool and space blankets to maintain a healthy body temperature during flight.
A Columbus Zoo Animal Care curator accompanied the animals and monitored their condition.
Six more manatees were sent to Ohio
Sending these five manatees was important because it made room for more manatees in need of rehabilitation.
The Columbus Zoo received three orphaned, malnourished manatees, two females and one male: Cobble, Clawford and Sabal. Cobble was rescued from Kings Bay, Clawford from the Matanzas River in St. Augustine, and Sabal from Boggy Bayou in Palm Harbor.
Three more were shipped from SeaWorld Orlando to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden: Lilypad, Orchid and Vora. They were rescued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP) – Lilypad from Salt Springs near Ocala in December, Vora from Pompano Beach in October 2023 and Orchid from Crystal River last March .
All three were severely malnourished and weighed between 58 and 165 pounds at the time of their rescue.
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Florida-Ohio Manatee Rehabilitation Partnership
“Manatees in Florida are vulnerable to natural and man-made threats,” the release said, “including exposure to seagrass loss, red tide, cold stress, disease, boat collisions, crushing in locks or locks, entanglement or ingestion of fishing gear.” And MRP helps manatees get to a place where they can recover and thrive before they are released.
To date, including the last five, the Columbus Zoo has returned 39 manatees to Florida, and the Cincinnati Zoo has returned 27 to the wild and cared for 32.
“ZooTampa has treated over 500 manatees and SeaWorld Orlando has helped rescue and rehabilitate over 990, with 45 manatees assisted in 2024 alone,” the release reads.
What should I do if I see a lone manatee?
If you are aware of a stranded, stranded, injured or dead manatee, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission hotline at 888-404-3922 or dial *FWC or #FWC on your cell phone. The FWC said stranded manatees may require immediate medical attention from wildlife experts.
The FWC warns that people should not attempt to relocate the stranded manatee. If intervention is necessary, FWC has a network of partners who will work to release the manatee on site or safely capture and transport the manatee to an intensive care facility for treatment.
Jennifer Sangalang, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida, contributed to this story.