Clearwater Marine Aquarium

The region had record numbers of hatchlings and nests this season, even after beach erosion from last year's devastating hurricanes.

One of the region's few long-term clinics for injured manatees is open again after suffering $2.5 million in damages from last year's hurricanes. It will be named after renowned manatee researcher James "Buddy" Powell.

Powell, chief zoological officer at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, was dedicated to researching and protecting manatees. He documented them in places as diverse as Belize, West Africa and Cuba.

For the second year in a row, Clearwater Marine Aquarium is offering close-up encounters with capybaras.

"With some cold weather a few weeks ago up in the Panhandle, they got over 1,000 turtles that stranded within just a few days," said the aquarium's Kelly McNally.

CEO Joe Handy said the drastic cost-cutting effort comes after last year's storms caused extremely low attendance numbers, which provide "the lion's share" of the aquarium's revenue.

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium said Friday that 271 nests were documented this year along a 21-mile stretch of beach patrolled by its teams, up from 227 last year.

The aquarium opens Monday to daily visitors after being damaged by the hurricanes.

The Kemp's ridley sea turtles were released back into the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Canaveral after two months of rehabilitation.

One of the largest marine rehabilitation centers in Florida is about to get even larger. Clearwater Marine Aquarium is embarking on an expansion that would nurture everything from manatees to sharks back to health.

A balloon ban bill is floating its way through the Florida capital.

The turtles were brought to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium over the past few months.