Florida Zoo Hospital Rehabs Record Number of Manatees

ZooTampa’s manatee rehab center announced  it had released 26 manatees in 2025, the highest number of rehabbed manatees returned to the wild in any single year since the facility opened in 1991.

The manatees treated at the zoo’s Manatee Critical Care Center typically arrive after being struck by a boat, stressed by cold water, malnourished when they can’t find enough seagrass to eat, or suffering some other human-related impact. The center has treated more than 615 manatees over 35 years, with most of these returned to their natural habitat when healthy.

The poster child for manatees in need would be Mudonna, a female rescued in November 2024, weeks after Hurricanes Helene and Milton blew through Florida, stranding the animal in five inches of water with temperatures plunging below freezing.

When Mudonna was rescued she weighed only 345 pounds – a dangerously low weight for an adult manatee. After intensive care and months of rehabilitation, Mudonna weighed over 700 pounds and was deemed healthy enough this week to be returned to the Crystal River.

The manatee rehab and release program costs the zoo $2 million a year.  Last summer, ZooTampa added two new 16,000-gallon pools to care for ailing and orphaned manatees. This spring it will unveil an expanded center where visitors can see immersive, eye-level views of underwater manatees.

The Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris), are gentle herbivores that feed mostly on seagrass. The creatures are covered in highly sensitive whiskers called vibrissae, which they use for feeding and navigation. 

An estimated 620 manatees died in Florida waters in 2025, with 97 killed by boat strikes. The species is currently designated as “threatened” in the US.

Photo credit: ZooTampa