By: Kara Yelman
At the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, visitors are greeted with a new and up-close look at one of Florida’s most iconic animals, the manatee.
The exhibit is more than just a place to observe these gentle giants. It also serves as a rehabilitation facility, expanding the zoo’s ability to care for manatees in need. The facility has space to support up to 20 manatees at a time and plays a role in helping injured or vulnerable manatees recover before being released back into the wild.
According to zoo staff, the need for this type of care is largely due to human-related factors. Boat strikes, fishing activity, overwatering, and overfertilizing homes near waterways continue to pose a threat to manatees across Florida, making conservation efforts more important than ever.
The new exhibit also aims to educate visitors and raise awareness about those challenges. By placing the habitat right at the entrance, guests are encouraged and more inclined to stop, watch, and connect with the animals in a way they may not have before. It has already been recognized that visitors are spending more time at the exhibit, often lingering to observe the manatees as they float around and feed.
That connection is a key part of the zoo’s mission to protect wildlife and wild places. By giving people the opportunity to see manatees up close, the exhibit helps create a deeper understanding of why these animals need protection.
As visitors pause to take in the experience, the exhibit is doing more than drawing attention; it is building awareness for a species that depends on it.