Dr. James “Buddy” Powell Manatee Rehabilitation Center

Manatee Rehabilitation Center Updates

11.15.25

Our three juvenile manatee patients have been adapting quickly to their new surroundings in the Dr. James “Buddy” Powell Manatee Rehabilitation Center. Sabal, Vora, and Orchid have been under close observation over the past week to monitor their behavior and ensure they are acclimating and eating well in their new environment.

We are excited to announce that we will begin welcoming visitors to view the manatees starting this Monday, November 17. CMA Members attending our Friendsgiving event this Saturday will also have an early opportunity to preview the manatee habitat. Visitors will be able to view manatees through our underwater viewing area entering through the Rescue Deck. We ask visitors to maintain a quiet atmosphere and refrain from flash photography while walking through the Manatee Rehabilitation Center. Our goal is to prepare these manatees for their eventual release and provide them the best chance for success in the wild. Your visit helps support our rescue, rehab, release, research and conservation efforts to protect these animals. We invite you to see how we care for these manatees and be part of our mission to save more marine life.

11.13.25

The three new manatee patients that arrived on Monday have been doing well and now have access to more of their habitat. Our manatee rehabilitation manager Tanya Ward shares more about the manatees and their acclimation process as they continue to adjust and explore their new surroundings. Stay tuned to learn when you can see them at CMA!

11.10.25

Clearwater Marine Aquarium welcomed three new juvenile female manatee patients on Monday, November 10. Sabal, Orchid, and Vora will be closely monitored by CMA’s veterinarians and animal care team while they acclimate to their new environment in the Manatee Rehabilitation Center. We will continue to share updates and announce when guests will be able to view the manatees in their habitat at CMA.

All three manatees were rescued as young orphans. Sabal was rescued in Palm Harbor on September 1, 2023, Vora was rescued in Pompano Beach on October 2, 2023, and Orchid was rescued in Crystal River on March 13, 2024. The trio of manatees arrived after being transported from the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, where they have been receiving care through the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership.

The Manatee rehabilitation center at CMA had been closed for more than a year due to major hurricane damage. Its reopening marks an important milestone for CMA’s mission and honors the legacy of Dr. James “Buddy” Powell, a global leader in manatee conservation. The facility is reopening as the Dr. James “Buddy” Powell Manatee Rehabilitation Center.

CMA currently provides second-stage care for manatees who are no longer in need of critical care but have not yet met the milestones needed for release, helping relieve capacity at manatee hospitals in Florida. The three manatees are expected to be released back to the wild in early 2026.

9.28.24

During Hurricane Helene, Clearwater Marine Aquarium was flooded with over 4 feet of water, lost power for an extended period, and vital equipment was damaged by the salt water, including some of our life support systems (LSS). Our facilities team is working diligently to make repairs and get everything operational as quickly as possible.

In an abundance of caution for the two manatee patients, Yeti and Zamboni have been safely transported from CMA back to ZooTampa at Lowry Park , Saturday morning. Once CMA’s systems are fully operational, we will coordinate with the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership and FWC to determine when manatees will return to CMA.

9.23.24

Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s manatee rehab patients Yeti and Zamboni had their first check-up since coming into our care in July! During this exam, the team was able to gather updated measurements, weights, heart rate, and gather blood samples of the animals. The check-up went smoothly, and we look forward to the eventual release of these animals back to the wild!

Thanks to our partners who assisted with this effort:  Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature.

8.11.24

The two juvenile manatees that arrived at Clearwater Marine Aquarium on July 30 have been adapting quickly to their new surroundings in the Manatee Rehabilitation Center. Yeti and Zamboni have been under close observation over the past 12 days to monitor their behavior and ensure they are acclimating and eating well in their new environment.

We will begin welcoming visitors to the Manatee Rehabilitation Center starting August 11. Visitors will be able to view manatees through our underwater viewing area with barriers to limit human interaction. We ask visitors to maintain a quiet atmosphere and refrain from flash photography while walking through our marine life hospital. Our goal is to prepare these manatees for their eventual release in the winter and provide them the best chance for success in the wild.

Your visit helps support our rescue, rehab, release and conservation efforts to protect these animals, and we are excited to invite you to be part of our mission and discover the wonder of manatees.

7.30.24

Clearwater Marine Aquarium welcomed the first two manatee patients to our Manatee Rehabilitation Center. Say hello to Yeti and Zamboni! These animals have been receiving critical care at ZooTampa at Lowry Park through the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership and have been steadily recovering and gaining weight. They will be finishing out their rehabilitation journey with us and will hopefully be released back to the wild this winter!

Yeti and Zamboni will now undergo an acclimation period where their behavior will be closely monitored to ensure their transition to our facility is an easy one! During this time, the manatees will not be viewable to the public. We appreciate your patience as we put the well-being of the animals first. Stay tuned for updates!

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