News and Stories

Manatee care team ready to rehabilitate young males 

CINCINNATI, OH (November 13, 2025) – Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden welcomed three new residents to Manatee Springs yesterday. The young, rescued males — Slushie, Alfred, and Hundo — are here as part of the Zoo’s ongoing partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP). They will be visible to the public starting this Friday at 2:00 p.m. 

Photos | video 

“We’re happy to welcome Slushie, Alfred, and Hundo to Manatee Springs. Each manatee has their own personality, and it’s so rewarding to help them recover and grow big and strong enough to return to the wild,” said Lindsay Garrett, head keeper, North America department.  “Our goal is to give them the best care possible so they can return to their native Florida waters.” 

Meet the new manatees: 

• Slushie – Rescued on 1/6/2025 at Berkley Canal-Satellite Beach in Brevard County. Orphan calf with natural cold stress. Rescue weight = 119 lbs. Most recent weight = 225 lbs  

• Hundo – Rescued on 3/11/2025 at Crystal River in Citrus County. Orphan calf. Rescue weight = 54 kgs or 120 lbs. Most recent weight = 245 lbs  

• Alfred – Rescued on 5/16/2024 at Sykes Creek-Merritt Island in Brevard County.  Orphan calf. Rescue weight = 40 lbs. Most recent weight = 315 lbs on 7/27/2025 

Cincinnati Zoo serves as a second-stage rehabilitation facility in the Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP). Its role is to provide plenty of food, primarily lettuce, and veterinary care until the manatees are big and strong enough to be returned to Florida waters. It is one of a handful of facilities outside of Florida that provide non-critical care for manatees. Providing second-stage care opens valuable space at critical care facilities and gives Midwesterners the opportunity to learn about these remarkable animals. 

With the arrival of these three, Cincinnati Zoo will have cared for 35 manatees since it began participating in the MRP program in 1999. On November 10, the previous residents of Manatee Springs, Lilypad, Vora, and Orchid, headed back to Florida with the rescued manatees at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium to prepare for release. They spent a year being rehabilitated in Cincinnati to get to a releasable weight.   

The Florida manatee, downgraded from endangered to threatened in 2017, continues to be at risk from both natural and man-made causes of injury and mortality. Exposure to red tide, cold stress, and disease are all problems that can affect manatees. Human-caused threats include boat strikes, crushing by flood gates or locks, and entanglement in or ingestion of fishing gear. The population is believed to be at least 13,000, with more than 6,500 in the southeastern U.S. and Puerto Rico, mostly in Florida. The significant decline of their food source on the Atlantic coast will most likely have long term effects on the overall population. 

 The Zoo opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m. Hours are extended during PNC Festival of Lights. Members get Early Entry in the spring, summer, and fall, which allows Zoo access at 9 a.m. All membership levels are on sale now.