News and Stories

Today is International Manatee Day! This day is to help recognize the conservation, education, and research work done worldwide to protect all species and subspecies of manatees and the ecosystems they rely on.

On October 1, 2023, three orphaned manatees—Nolia, Amethyst, and Waffles—arrived at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, where their dedicated keepers have been nurturing them to reach a release weight of at least 600 pounds. After a year of care, the trio has now reached their target weight and are set to return to the waters of Florida next month, ready to thrive in their natural habitat once again!

The Cincinnati Zoo is proud to be a part of the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP). We are one of only a handful of places outside of Florida where people can see manatees and learn more about what can be done to protect them.

Meet the Manatees

Nolia

Nolia currently weighs the most of the girls at 715 lbs. She tends to be the bravest girl, but she has a little sensitive side too. She is the leader of the pack, and she is always ready for snack time. She has recently learned how much she loves water hyacinth!

Amethyst

Our shy and sweet girl. She may be the smallest in weight at 605 lbs, but she is the longest lady of the three! She takes the longest to find some bravery. She loves her endive! It takes her some time to warm up in situations, but she is very relatable in that way.

Waffles

Waffles loves her veggies and she is really good at using her pec fins to get lettuce cores out of feeders! She is a smart cookie but can also be a troublemaker! We always say any animal with a cute name tends to be chaos and she sure is! Waffles currently weighs 690 lbs.