Dr. James “Buddy” Powell Manatee Rehabilitation Center

Manatee Rehabilitation Center Updates

9.26.26

It takes a village to transport manatees, but thanks to everyone involved, Axle and Gilbert are settling in nicely in the Dr. James “Buddy” Powell Manatee Rehabilitation Center. Stay tuned for updates on when you can view these two manatees at Clearwater Marine Aquarium, but until then, enjoy a sneak peek into the process of welcoming our newest patients

9.23.26

Clearwater Marine Aquarium welcomed two new manatee patients this week!

The pair of male manatees, Axle and Gilbert, arrived safely following a transport from ZooTampa on Wednesday morning and are now settling into their new temporary home in the Dr. James “Buddy” Powell Manatee Rehabilitation Center at CMA.

Axle and Gilbert are currently being closely monitored by our veterinarians and manatee rehabilitation team as they acclimate to the habitat. Over the coming weeks, they will continue to adjust to their new environment while the manatee rehab and veterinary teams monitor their health, behavior, and progress.

Axle was rescued in shallow water in Venice, Florida on February 21, 2026, due to cold stress. Gilbert was rescued in Sun Springs, Florida on January 2, 2026. He was rescued as an emaciated orphan calf with a low body temperature.

As part of the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP), CMA plays an important role in providing second-stage rehabilitation care for manatees recovering from illness, injury, or other challenges. Axle and Gilbert both received critical care at ZooTampa after being rescued in early 2026 and are expected to continue their rehabilitation at CMA through the coming months with an anticipated release back into the wild in early 2027.
We will continue to share updates and announce when guests will be able to view the manatees at CMA.

2.17.26

The two orphaned manatees who arrived in November 2025, Orchid and Vora, have officially returned to the wild! This marks a milestone for CMA’s rehabilitation efforts with the first successful release of manatee patients from the Dr. James “Buddy” Powell Manatee Rehabilitation Center. The rescue, rehab and release of these manatees was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership.

Vora was rescued as an orphaned calf in October 2023 in Pompano Beach, FL and was rehabilitated at SeaWorld Orlando , Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium before arriving at CMA for her final stage before release. Vora was released at Blue Spring State Park on February 17 with support from MRP partners, including Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, Save the Manatee Club, County of Volusia, FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute and Florida State Parks.

Orchid was rescued as an orphaned calf in March 2023 in Crystal River, FL and was rehabilitated at SeaWorld Orlando and Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden before arriving at CMA. She was released in Crystal River on February 17 with support from MRP partners, including MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Orchid was released off a boat into Kings Bay.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute tagged both juvenile manatees with a satellite tracking device and will continue to monitor them for the MRP following their release to ensure they are adapting well back in the wild.
All activities authorized by USFWS and conducted under USFWS Permit #MA66524C and USFWS Research Permit #MA37808A-2.

2.9.26

Our manatee patients, Orchid and Vora, are doing well and are almost ready for release! Now is your chance to come and see these beautiful creatures before they return to the wild. In collaboration with our @mrp_manatee partners, we are expecting to release them in the next couple of weeks, so plan your visit to see the manatees soon!

1.15.26

With release around the corner, Orchid and Vora are looking ready to go! We recently performed a routine health assessment on these manatee patients, and we are happy to report they are on track for release next month. Tune in as Tanya, our manatee rehabilitation manager, shares more about these health assessments and gives a closer look into the second stage care provided at CMA’s Dr. James “Buddy” Powell Manatee Rehabilitation Center. You have a few weeks left to visit Orchid and Vora at CMA before their expected release in late February!

12.26.25

Sabal was recently transferred to ZooTampa at Lowry Park on December 26, 2025, in coordination with the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP) to optimize her opportunity for a successful winter release as she has not been adapting as well as the other manatees in our care. This change of environment will prioritize her wellbeing while assessing her readiness to meet release criteria.

12.15.25

The manatees at CMA’s Dr. James “Buddy” Powell Manatee Rehabilitation Center had their first health exam last Thursday. Sabal, Vora, and Orchid are continuing to adjust to their new habitat and will continue to receive care at CMA until they are ready for release in early 2026. They will have another assessment in January before their expected release in February. All three were orphaned manatees at the time of rescue and will be tagged for tracking by CMA Research Institute to monitor them for the Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Partnership when they return to the wild.

You can see the manatees and support their care when you visit CMA!

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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