One of the region's few hospitals for injured manatees is back open after Hurricane Helene damaged it last year.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium welcomed Sabal, Orchid and Vora as the first patients back in their Manatee Rehabilitation Center.
The need is so great for more long-term treatment facilities that those manatees were getting care at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio.
Shelly Marguardt is the aquarium's head veterinarian and vice president of animal and environmental health and there's a need for these animals to come in because they're susceptible to boat strikes, cold stun and more.
"All these things that are detrimental to their population," she continued. "And so it's essential for us to have these facilities that they can come into, get healthy, because we're really teetering on that brink of endangered."
Helene pushed more than four feet of water into the aquarium in 2024, and Marquardt said they're just now getting back to where they were before last year's storms.
"It did a lot of damage to our life support, which is the systems that keep the water clean and filter everything for our pools. So that was the obviously most detrimental part of the damage, but we had a lot of damage to just the facility in general," Marguardt said. "Our surgery room, we lost all of our cabinets, a lot of equipment, and so it was pretty catastrophic for us."
"I'm not going to lie, and seeing the devastation afterwards, we're right around that year mark, and we still have not completely gotten whole yet," she continued.
The need since then hasn't changed.
"As the population has increased, which is wonderful, there are a lot more animals that are coming into care, and we're actually reaching a point where every once in a while we do have to make a decision of who gets to come in," Marguardt said. "And that's really hard for us. We want to be able to treat every animal that's in need."
The renovated center will be named in honor of James "Buddy" Powell, a pioneering leader in the field of manatee research and conservation. Powell died earlier this year after devoting more than five decades to the study and protection of manatees worldwide. He was Chief Zoological Officer and Executive Director of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute.
“This facility stands as a testament to Dr. Powell’s enduring impact and CMA’s unwavering commitment to marine life,” said Joe Handy, the marine aquarium's CEO. “It is more than a building—it is a promise to continue the work he began, ensuring manatees receive the care and protection they deserve.”
The state-of-the-art center features ozone treatment systems and medical habitats with adjustable floors. Their goal is to provide comprehensive care for sick, injured, and orphaned manatees, supporting their full recovery and eventual return to the wild.
Here is more information about the first three juvenile manatees that are currently being cared for:
- Sabal - Rescued: Sept. 1, 2023, as an orphan in Boggy Bayou, Palm Harbor. Planned Release: Crystal River.
- Orchid - Rescued: March 13, 2024, as an orphan in Kings Bay, Crystal River. Planned Release: Crystal River.
- Vora - Rescued: Oct. 2, 2023, as an orphan in Lake Santa Barbara, Pompano Beach. Planned Release: Blue Spring.
