TAMPA – ZooTampa at Lowry Park is undergoing its largest expansion ever with its Straz Family Manatee Rescue Center and ‘Florida Waters’ attraction.
What we know:
The Straz Manatee Rescue Center will have an enhanced underground facility where guests can observe manatees from below.
It will be part of the new ‘Florida Waters’ attraction which will also include otters, Moon Jellyfish, reef fish from the Florida Keys, and game fish such as Snook.
The zoo’s nearby ‘Reptile and Amphibian Discovery’ will focus on conservation and saving some of Florida’s often misunderstood native species.
What’s next:
Construction will continue at an accelerated pace. Curators say the construction activity doesn’t seem to disturb the zoo’s current manatee residents. There are currently 17 injured manatees at the facility. Last year there were as many as 28.
Since 1991, ZooTampa has rehabilitated over 600 manatees, with the majority returning to their native waters.
The new attractions are scheduled to open in the Spring of 2026. They’re being paid for by a donation from the Straz Family Foundation and the zoo’s 5-year fundraising campaign that raised $35 million.
The Source: Information for this story came from ZooTampa and interviews conducted by Fox 13’s Lloyd Sowers.