65+ Year Old ‘Romeo & Juliet’ Manatees Join Zoo Tampa

Manatees are some of the ocean’s favorite gentle giants. Whether you’re a Florida native or a vacationer, these sea cows are always cool to see. Manatees Romeo and Juliet were transported to ZooTampa last week from Miami for round-the-clock care.

Romeo and Juliet have been living in the Miami Seaquarium since the 1950’s. According to a press release, there were calls to provide a better social living environment for these manatees. This prompted the Seaquarium to transfer these manatees towards our neck of the woods at ZooTampa.

These manatees were carefully moved to their new home with help from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Veterinarians and animal care specialists traveled with these manatees to ensure they were getting all the care they needed during the remaining years of their lives.

Dr. Cynthia Sttringfield, manatee critical care vet and Senior Vice President of Animal Health, Conservation and Education, said, “It’s going to be a long road, but there is no facility better prepared to address the urgent health needs of these manatees while the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership identifies the best option for their long-term placements.”

Since they have arrived, the team at ZooTampa has conducted blood tests that didn’t show any abnormal readings. According to Stringfield, even though these animals appear in good health, they worry about their cardiac health.

Most manatees weigh between 1,000 and 3,500 pounds. Romeo and Juliet both weigh over 3,000 pounds which is not typically normal. Officials at the zoo say that Juliet has not been eating since arriving in Tampa, but it isn’t uncommon for these creatures to hold off on food after they were transported to ZooTampa.

These two majestic beasts are happily living out their lives in the rehabilitation pools, spending time with the other manatees at the zoo. According to officials, one of the most important parts of manatees living in captivity is to interact with other manatees. If you want to catch a glimpse of these manatees, head over to ZooTampa and track their progress.

There are a lot of dangerous animals in Florida. But if you ever wondered what the most dangerous are? This list was put together by A-Z Animals. Between 1999 and 2019 only 247 people in Florida died as a result of an animal attack. Florida ranks as the third deadliest state in the United States for animal attacks. Texas is number one with 520 and California is number two with 299. Those findings come from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

So, what is the first animal that you think of when you think dangerous in Florida? You probably think of the Alligator, but that isn’t the number one overall dangerous animal in Florida. The Great White Shark is the most dangerous animal in Florida. While not on the land in Florida Great White Sharks swim the waters around the state of Florida. Back in 2020 Florida had 16 shark bites on record. Second was Hawaii with only five.

The dangerous animals in Florida that didn’t make the top five are some that you may have thought could’ve been higher. Firstly, number six on the list is the Black Widow Spider followed by the Florida Panther. The Florida Panther is the state animal. It was chosen in 1982 by a vote of students throughout the state. Following the Florida Panther on the list is the Wild Boar. You can find the Wild Boar in all 67 counties of Florida. Their estimated population is over half a million.

Next is the Timber Rattlesnake. It is also known as the canebreak rattlesnake and it is a species of pit viper. The Timber Rattlesnake has a Chevron pattern and a stripe running down its body. Finally, coming in number 10 on the list is the American Crocodile. They are found along the coast of Florida as north as the Hillsborough/Pasco County border on the west side of Florida.

Below, you can find the top five most dangerous animals in Florida.

Yes, Great White Sharks are found in the waters around Florida. A almost 1,200 pound shark that was almost 13 feet in length was tracked back in March of this year.

#1 and #2 on the list are sharks. They are in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. They grow to about 11 feet and can live about 24 years.

Alligators live in all 67 counties in Florida. You can find alligators in any body of water including lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes, swamps and man-made canals. We've seen multiple reports this year of gator attacks, even some fatal ones.

They are found in pine flatwoods, longleaf pine and turkey oak hammocks, sand pine scrub areas, and coastal barrier islands. Yes it is venomous.

It is venomous and can be found throughout Florida. It is called a cottonmouth because of the white color of the inside of its mouth.