Manatee released to Cape Coral waters following 15-month rehabilitation
TAMPA, Fla. (June 15, 2022) – ZooTampa released Bellissima Wednesday morning at Horton Park in Cape Coral. The manatee team named her Bellissima, Italian, for “beautiful,” because she was rescued from Beautiful Island where she was found stranded by a hiker.
When Bellissima first arrived at ZooTampa’s David A. Straz Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center on March 9, 2021, her condition was dire. She was emaciated and had severe wounds to her body and flippers from exposure. Upon rescue, she weighed just 750 pounds. A manatee of her size should have weighed well over 1,000 pounds.
After more than a year of rehabilitation, which consisted of daily wound care and hydrotherapy for almost four months by the dedicated medical and animal care teams, Bellissima is healthy and now weighs 1,445 pounds.
“Bellissima has been a true testament to the incredibly resilient nature of these amazing animals,” said Dr. Melissa Nau, director of Animal Health. “Watching her recovery after her fight to survive stranding on an island has been a true marvel. We are so thankful to the hiker who found and reported her and to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) team who rescued her and brought her to our manatee critical care center.”
As one of only four critical care centers in the United States, ZooTampa has cared for more than 500 manatees, with the majority returned to the wild. Residents can help save manatees by reporting sick and injured manatees immediately to FWC at 1-888-404-3922.
About ZooTampa
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is operated by the Lowry Park Zoological Society, an independent 501(c)(3) charitable organization committed to excellence in conservation, education, recreation and research. The zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is recognized as central Florida’s leading and most attended zoological cultural institution. The Zoo is at 1101 W. Sligh Ave. in Tampa, and is open seven days a week, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with extended hours for select events. For more information, visit www.zootampa.org or follow the zoo on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.