Seven manatees that once called Ohio home are officially back where they belong.
After years of rehabilitation at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, the gentle sea cows were recently released into Florida waters through the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership. For animals that arrived as tiny, vulnerable orphans, it is a pretty incredible full-circle moment.
Most of these manatees were rescued between 2022 and 2025, many suffering from cold stress syndrome or found alone at just a few dozen pounds.
Agencies like the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission coordinated the rescues, and then a nationwide network of aquariums, zoos, and research institutions stepped in to help with long-term care.
That network includes heavy hitters like SeaWorld Orlando and ZooTampa at Lowry Park, along with Ohio partners like the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
And when we say rehabilitation, we mean serious work.
At the Cincinnati Zoo alone, three of the manatees gained more than 250 pounds during their stay. One, Orchid, packed on nearly 400 pounds before being deemed ready for release. Between them, they ate more than 60,000 pounds of lettuce. That is not a typo.
Once cleared for the wild, the manatees were transported back to warm-water sites in Florida where wild populations gather this time of year. Release locations included Blue Spring State Park, Crystal River, Warm Mineral Springs, and the TECO Apollo Beach power plant.
For younger manatees that are considered “naive,” the transition is closely monitored.
The Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute fits them with GPS tracking devices so researchers can follow their movements and make sure they are adjusting to life in the wild.
The tracking gear allows experts to step in quickly if a manatee struggles to find warm water or food during its first year back.
If you happen to spot a tagged manatee while boating in Florida, admire from a distance. The tracking equipment is essential to their survival during this phase, and approaching them can disrupt that process.
Manatees remain an iconic Florida species, but they continue to face serious threats from habitat loss, water quality issues, and boat strikes. That is why partnerships like this matter. Rehabilitation does not happen in one facility or even one state. It takes a coordinated effort across the country.
For the Columbus Zoo, caring for manatees is about more than the animals in their pools.
It is about connecting Ohio guests to a conservation story that stretches hundreds of miles south.
Millions of visitors pass through the Zoo each year, and for many of them, this is their first time seeing a manatee up close. Watching one return to Florida healthy and strong makes that experience feel a little more real.
It is easy to forget, especially in the middle of winter in Ohio, that conservation work here can ripple outward in meaningful ways. But somewhere in the warm waters of Florida right now, a few former Columbus residents are figuring out how to be wild again. And that feels worth celebrating.
