Zoo Expands Manatee Critical Care Efforts with Addition of Two State-of-the-Art Pools
ZooTampa proudly announces the completion of two 16,000-gallon state-of-the-art pools designed to provide life-saving care to injured, sick, and orphaned manatees. Already the largest nonprofit manatee critical care center in the US, the Zoo’s David A. Straz, Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center has helped more than 600 manatees since 1991, with the majority returning to Florida waters.
The new medical pools significantly increase the center's rehabilitation capacity and feature innovative rising medical floors that allow for effective treatments to be administered directly in the water. The expansion incorporates an advanced life support system and a dedicated generator to ensure that care for manatees continues uninterrupted during power outages and inclement weather. ZooTampa is one of only two facilities in the United States equipped to take in critically injured or sick manatees and orphaned calves.
The addition of the two new pools and enhancements to the main life support system were made possible by major funding from the State of Florida, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, with additional support for the other critical care enhancements from the U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, the McCune Family Foundation, and the Triad Foundation. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization, ZooTampa relies on donations, grants, and ticket sales to fund its daily operations and enhance the habitats of the species entrusted to its care.
In spring of 2026, ZooTampa is opening the largest expansion in its history, Florida Waters, which features the new Manatee Rescue, an immersive area where guests can explore the underwater world of manatees and witness the Zoo's life-saving efforts up close. The thoughtfully reimagined area offers unforgettable moments of education and features graceful jellies floating weightlessly with the current, along with a special events area. The Florida Waters journey continues with Otter Oasis, a riverbank sanctuary for playful otters and the Reptile and Amphibian Discovery which focuses on conservation initiatives aimed at saving some of Florida’s often misunderstood and underappreciated native species.
As a leader in the conservation of Florida wildlife, the Zoo spends nearly $2 million each year to save manatees, participates in multiple species survival programs and educates 1.2 million visitors and students annually about global wildlife conservation.
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