COLUMBUS, Ohio — Eight rehabilitated manatees from Ohio, including five from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, were flown back to their temporary homes in Florida over the weekend.
According to a release from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, five orphaned manatees from the zoo were transferred to SeaWorld Orlando. Four of them previously came from SeaWorld before coming to Columbus in January 2022. The fifth manatee came from Miami Seaquarium in 2020. The other three manatees came from the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.
The Columbus Zoo is part of the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership, which is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, releasing and monitoring manatees.
The manatees were originally transferred to Columbus to make room for other rescued manatees needing emergency critical care at SeaWorld's Rescue and Rehabilitation Center.
All eight manatees will complete their rehab in Florida before they return to where they were found as orphans.
“Manatees are a critical part of our aquatic ecosystems, and we've been honored to be involved in their rescue, rehabilitation, and return for 47 years, working alongside our partners, including the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership, to help preserve these beloved Florida icons," said Dr. Joseph Gaspard, Vice President of Zoological Operations at SeaWorld Orlando.
In return, five other manatees caught a flight back to Ohio. Three of them are in Cincinnati and the remaining two are in Columbus.
Both Columbus manatees were rescued as orphaned calves with declining body conditions in January 2023. They were being bottle fed and have now been weaned for several months.
The Cincinnati Zoo has returned 26 manatees to Florida, and the Columbus Zoo has returned 37.
