COLUMBUS, Ohio (AVC News) — The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium has welcomed three rescued manatees from Florida for continued rehabilitation as part of a coordinated conservation effort that also sent four manatees from Ohio back to Florida for the next stage of their recovery.
The Columbus Zoo received three female manatees — Celine, Poplin and Gingham — from SeaWorld Orlando on Wednesday, Oct. 14. The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden also welcomed three male manatees, Smidge, Tuglet and Zimomo, for continued care.
The arrivals followed the departure of four manatees from Ohio on Monday, Oct. 12. Three females from the Columbus Zoo — Redrock, Rosalyn and Erie — were transferred to the East Coast Zoological Foundation’s Manatee Rehabilitation Center at Brevard Zoo in Florida. Hundo, a male manatee from the Cincinnati Zoo, was transferred to Jacksonville Zoo and Botanical Gardens.
The four manatees will continue receiving specialized care as they prepare for anticipated release into Florida waters this winter.
The transfers were coordinated through the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership, a network of nonprofit, private, state and federal organizations that work together to rescue, rehabilitate and return manatees to the wild.
The new arrivals at the Columbus Zoo will receive care at its Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Center alongside Stubby, a longtime resident who has often voluntarily acted as a surrogate mother to younger manatees. Stubby sustained injuries in a boat strike and is considered conditionally non-releasable.
“Helping rescued manatees recover and return to their native waters is at the heart of our conservation work at the Columbus Zoo,” said Becky Ellsworth, curator of the zoo’s Shores and Aquarium region.
Ellsworth said the zoo’s animal care and conservation medicine teams work to give each manatee the best possible chance of returning to the wild.
The Cincinnati Zoo’s three new arrivals will receive care at its Manatee Springs habitat. Cincinnati Zoo curator of mammals Kim Scott said the facility was excited to follow Hundo’s rehabilitation in Florida while beginning care for the new arrivals.
The transfers required coordination among animal care, veterinary and transportation teams. DHL Express provided air transportation from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport to Orlando, while specially equipped trucks operated by participating zoos and SeaWorld handled ground transportation.
Columbus Zoo animal care and conservation medicine staff accompanied the manatees on both flights to monitor their health and comfort. Custom-built transport containers included thick foam bedding to support the animals, while care teams used blankets and regular misting to help maintain body temperature and keep their skin moist.
The manatees originally were rescued in Florida because of circumstances including orphaning, emaciation and cold stress. The six arriving in Ohio will continue rehabilitation based on their individual needs.
Since opening its Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in 1999, the Columbus Zoo has returned 45 manatees to Florida. The Cincinnati Zoo has cared for 38 manatees and helped release 31 since 1999.
Florida manatees face threats including habitat and seagrass loss, red tide, cold stress, disease, boat strikes and entanglement in fishing gear. The partnership’s rehabilitation network provides veterinary treatment, specialized care and monitoring to help rescued manatees recover and, when possible, return to their natural habitat.
Additional information about the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership is available at manateerescue.org.
Last Updated on October 14, 2026 by AVC News
