ZooTampa Released Record 26 Manatees in 2025 as Species Faces Protection Threats

ZooTampa at Lowry Park sent 26 healed manatees back into Florida waters in 2025. This broke all records for the facility. But more than 620 of these marine mammals died statewide last year, and boat strikes killed 97.

"The Zoo's David A. Straz, Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center, the largest nonprofit facility of its kind in the U.S., has cared for over 615 manatees since 1991, with the majority successfully returned to their natural habitat," the ZooTampa spokesperson said, according to WTSP.

One rescued manatee, Mudonna, gained more than 300 pounds during her recovery. Workers found her trapped in five inches of water with no escape route and little food in November 2024. This happened weeks after Hurricanes Helene and Milton struck the state. Temperatures dropped to around 30 degrees when rescuers from Florida Fish and Wildlife, the University of Florida Marine Rescue, and the zoo team discovered her weighing just 345 pounds.

Mudonna weighed more than 700 pounds when she returned to Crystal River last week. Adult manatees weigh about 1,000 pounds.

The rescue operation works 24 hours a day. Veterinarians and animal care staff stay on call at all times. Two veterinarians hold certification from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for manatee critical care. The zoo spends close to $2 million each year on these efforts while teaching 1.2 million visitors and students about conservation.

Nineteen manatees are still receiving treatment at the center. The facility is one of just three federally permitted manatee rehabilitation centers in Florida.

Wildlife advocates fear proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act might damage conservation efforts. One revision would eliminate the definition of "harm," which now prohibits killing or injuring species at risk of extinction and includes habitat destruction. The Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service proposed rules in November that would strip protections for plants and animals threatened by habitat loss.

Manatees stay protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978. The species battles ongoing challenges from seagrass loss and watercraft injuries.

This spring, the zoo will open the Straz Family Manatee Rescue as part of a Florida Waters expansion. Visitors will get eye-level underwater views of manatees receiving care at the new facility.