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PHOTOS: Five Jacksonville Zoo manatees released from Blue Spring State Park

Jacksonville, Fla. — They’re free!

The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens announced the successful release of five resident manatees from it’s Manatee Critical Care Center from Blue Spring State Park.

Females Amelia and Irma were released Monday after spending almost a year at the Zoo after being rescued in 2017 as orphaned calves and first taken to SeaWorld Orlando.

The three males came to the Zoo over the winter to be treated for symptoms of cold stress including skin lesions and dehydration.

The Zoo says if manatees spend too much time in water colder than 68 degrees, cold stress starts to occur and will affect many organ systems.

The releases at Blue Spring were assisted by the Zoo’s partners in the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership, including the US Fish & Wildlife Service, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Save the Manatee Club, and Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute (CMARI).

“Releasing these animals not only marks the successful rehabilitation of five more manatees, it also frees up critical space so additional manatees can be treated at our Zoo. This has been a tough winter for manatees, so we hope we can help a few more with our partners in the MRP. It truly takes a team to protect this threatened species and I could not be prouder of the dedication of all those involved with this program,” said Craig Miller, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Curator of Mammals.

The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Manatee Critical Care Center is an acute care, rehabilitation facility that provides life-saving medical treatment to rescued manatees. The manatee rescue and rehabilitation program is the Zoo’s largest regional conservation initiative, caring for 27 manatees and releasing 21 since the Center opened in 2017.

Florida manatees are a federally-protected threatened species, at significant risk from both natural and human threats. Exposure to red tide, cold stress, disease, boat strikes, crushing by floodgates and locks, line entanglement, and ingestion of pollution and debris are just some of the hazards facing one of Florida’s most iconic animals.

To report an injured marine mammal, call the FWC hotline at 1-888-404-3922 (FWCC) or dial *FWC on a cellular device. Information about manatees currently being tracked is available at manateerescue.org.


Samantha Mathers

Samantha Mathers, Action News Jax

Samantha Mathers is a digital reporter and content creator for Action News Jax.