News and Stories

20+ manatees returned to Florida waters after years of rehab 

CINCINNATI, OH (February 18, 2026) Three manatees rehabilitated at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s Manatee Springs were returned to Florida waters earlier this week as part of a  mass release of 20+ manatees by the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP).  Lilypad and Vora are now swimming in Blue Spring, and Orchid is in Crystal River.

MRP Photos (Please credit MRP. Captions are contained in the file name.) Cincinnati Zoo Photos

Most of the manatees that were part of the recent release were originally rescued as small orphans or young animals affected by cold stress syndrome by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and MRP partners. Lily, Orchid, and Vora received critical care at SeaWorld Orlando before moving to Cincinnati Zoo for rehab in October of 2024.  They also spent several weeks at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium before returning to Florida with Columbus’ manatees, Sabal, Clawford, and Cobble. All six of these Ohio-rehabbed manatees were part of the big release.

“Rehabbing manatees is no easy task and requires cooperation from multiple facilities,” said Cincinnati Zoo’s curator of mammals Kim Scott. “This was even more true with Lilypad, Vora, and Orchid. Due to construction in Manatee Springs, these three had to be moved before it was time to go back to Florida.  Our friends at Columbus Zoo agreed to provide a temporary home for them before transporting the whole group to Florida together.”

The released manatees have been tagged by Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute (CMARI) and will be monitored to support a successful transition back to the manatees’ native range. MRP partners will be alerted if additional support is needed. Every manatee returned this winter that is considered “naive” and does not yet have the necessary experience in the wild will be fitted with a GPS tracking device that allows researchers to monitor movements and acclimation to their natural habitat over the next year.

With tagging and monitoring in place, the MRP can identify where individuals are and what they’re doing.  An MRP representative, Cora Berchem, was on site for the releases in Blue Spring and noticed that Lilypad was swimming with another former Manatee Springs resident, Manhattan (who was released in 2023 with Swimshady and Alby).  “They never lived together in Cincinnati, but it’s fun to imagine that they’re comparing notes about their stay there,” said Berchem.

“These releases are the reason we do what we do. In the year that manatees Vora, Lilypad and Orchid were here, they each gained more than 250 pounds, with Orchid gaining almost 400 pounds. Our job is to get them to a releasable weight, and that is what we did. The manatees ate approximately 60,240 lbs. of lettuce during their stay at the Cincinnati Zoo, and we are so excited to see them start the next chapter of their lives swimming in their native Florida waters,” said Lindsay Garrett, Manatee Springs keeper at the Cincinnati Zoo.

Sadly, there is no shortage of manatees that have been rescued and need rehabilitation.  Three new manatees, Alfred, Slushie, and Hundo, are now receiving care in Manatee Springs with the goal to release them when they reach a desired weight.

The manatee releases come at a critical time for the species, as Florida manatees face ongoing natural and human-caused threats and highlight the importance of partnership efforts that extend beyond Florida.

“What’s special about the MRP is the way it brings organizations together through a coordinated network of partners, extending the reach of manatee conservation far beyond Florida. Caring for manatees here in Ohio also provides us with the opportunity to connect millions of guests with their story, helping people understand why manatees matter and what it takes from all of us to protect them. It’s incredibly rewarding to know our role helps support their journey back home and that their story can inspire action everywhere,” said Becky Ellsworth, curator of the Columbus Zoo’s Shores and Aquarium region.

Including Alfred, Slushie, and Hundo, Cincinnati Zoo has rehabilitated 35 manatees since 1999.  You can see the current residents daily in Manatee Springs.  Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is open from 10am to 5pm.

Manatees that were transferred back to Florida waters (Cincinnati females highlighted)