By Taylor Colby
Jacksonville Zoo opened the J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver Manatee River Habitat on Friday, March 6. The new habitat is part of the first phase of REZOOVENATION, a transformative initiative to revitalize the zoo, which aligns with the zoo’s commitment to sustainability and conservation.
The Vystar SkyScape Entrance features a 25,000 square foot entry canopy to shade guests against the heat, Low-e insulated glass and structural overhangs to reduce heat gain and fritted glass with anti-bird-strike dots to protect wildlife. There is a new banquet space, boardroom, full-catering kitchen, cafe and expanded retail space for zoo guests to enjoy.
The Manatee River Habitat features 330,000 gallons of water and is designed for rescue, rehabilitation and release. Three manatees, Alpine, Cullen and Francesco currently call the habitat home. Emily Long, the marketing manager, said the habitat is the zoo’s largest conservation project to date.
Dr. Jeff Ettling, president and CEO of Jacksonville Zoo, spoke about the zoo’s excitement for the new habitat, conservation efforts and opportunities for the public to learn more about these amazing creatures.
“In many ways, Alpine, Francesco and Cullen represent the purpose of this entire project, giving rescued manatees the stronger path back to the wild while inspiring our community to care about protecting them,” he said.
Ettling introduced Ashley Nelson, one of the senior management care specialists, who shared a little more about the manatees. Alpine, Francesco and Cullen were all rescues and are thriving in their new environment. The zoo hopes to release Alpine back into the wild this winter. Francesco and Cullen will likely be released in 2027. The zoo prioritizes the manatees’ safety and care.
The habitat is well thought out and functions perfectly to ensure the manatees or “sea potatoes” as they are affectionately called, get the care they need. The keepers gave the media the opportunity to tour the habitat and see how the manatees are transported to their new home.
There are separate pools for treatment and monitoring as well as deeper pools that mirror the natural beauty of Florida springs, where manatees reside in the wild. The habitat is designed to care for 15-20 manatees at a time as lots of manatees need to be rescued. Most manatees in need of rescue are injured by boat strikes or experience cold stress. The zoo partners with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and will let the zoo know if there is a manatee that needs help.
As part of the new initiative, the zoo will offer small group tours of the habitat starting around April to further educate zoo guests about manatees and the importance of conservation. Guests will be able to get involved and help make manatee feeders and, of course, watch the manatees eat lots and lots of lettuce.
The Manatee River Habitat is sure to be a Jacksonville treasure. It is a beautiful way to observe nature and learn more about protecting wildlife. To learn more, go to https://www.jacksonvillezoo.org.