Manatees Find Forever Home At SeaWorld Orlando

By Erin McKinney

When most people think of marine mammals, they picture dolphins, whales or even their distance sea lion and pinniped relatives. But one of Florida’s most prominent native mammals is the manatee, a herbivorous gentle giant and a feature of Florida’s wildlife landscape.

So how does your ticket to a marine mammal facility help preserve this incredible species? Through the rescue and rehabilitation expertise of the zoological staff.

Florida’s accredited zoological facilities, especially SeaWorld Orlando, have made an immense contribution to the salvation of the Florida manatee species. Manatees are particularly vulnerable to human activities such as pollution and boat strikes, as well as natural threats such as cold and shark attacks.

SeaWorld rescues dozens of manatees each year that are rehabilitated and treated at state-of-the-art facilities. Most of the manatees end up making the return to their ocean home, but some that are deemed non releasable by the federal government end up with a permanent home at SeaWorld’s TurtleTrek attraction, serving as ambassadors for their relatives.

Want to learn more about SeaWorld Orlando’s manatee magic? Visit SeaWorldCares.com, or make a stop off at any zoological facility accredited by the AMMPA to learn more about the efforts by these zoos and aquariums to help protect many endangered species.

Check out the video above to hear about the first hand manatee rescues SeaWorld cares for on a daily basis.