Good afternoon,
Last Thursday BamBam, a Florida Manatee who previously lived at Manatee Springs was released back into Floridian waters along with three other MRP rehabilitated Manatees. BamBam was rescued as an orphaned, cold-stressed calf in January of 2015 and initially cared for at Sea World Orlando. He was transferred to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden in October of that year. After two years at Manatee Springs BamBam was transferred back to Sea World Orlando in October of 2017. He was released last year but had to be rescued again when an in-field health assessment revealed he was suffering from cold stress and dehydration. He spent the last 12 months at Sea World Orlando recovering, and growing bigger and stronger. BamBam weighed a strapping 865 lbs. when he was released last week.
BamBam’s progress will monitored closely for the next 12 months.
Since 1999 the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden has participated in the United States Fish & Wildlife Service’s Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP). The goals of the partnership are as simple as its name; to rescue injured or ill manatees and rehabilitate them so that they can be released back into Floridian waters. The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden has cared for 19 Florida Manatees, 14 of which (including BamBam) have been released. By having non-critical care manatees like Daphne, Pippen, Matthew and Miles in Cincinnati we are keeping open valuable space at critical care facilities like Sea World Orlando, The Miami Seaquarium and Zoo Tampa. Having these remarkable animals also gives each of our more than 1.5 million annual guests an opportunity to learn about one of our most important conservation partnerships.
Images Courtesy of Teresa Calleson (USFWS Biologist).
Winton Ray
Curator of Invertebrates, Aquatic Animals & Birds