Last year, a male manatee named Roomba was struck by a Crystal River boater and sustained a collapsed lung. He was treated by SeaWorld before being transferred to ZooTampa’s David A. Straz, Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center where the zoo’s lead manatee veterinarian, Lauren Smith, D.V.M. oversaw care which eventually allowed ZooTampa to facilitate Roomba’s successful release into the wild in partnership with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The release is a big step for ZooTampa, which recently had to cease all activities involving manatees after senior veterinarian Ray Ball was charged with mistreating the animals. In March, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allowed the zoo to resume its manatee activity with the condition that Ball does not treat the animals.
“We’re thrilled with the great strides Roomba has made. He made a tremendous recovery and all signs indicate Roomba will continue to live a healthy life in Florida’s waters,” Dr. Smith said in a press release. “The team kept a close eye on Roomba as he continued to live in our supportive environment with access to regular monitoring and quality care at the Zoo.”
In case you forgot, manatees face serious threats such as loss of warm water habitats and human conflict, including boat strikes. You’ll have to find Roomba in the wild, but visitors can observe other manatee patients, including Cayo, mom Heinz and her calf Sriracha, as they continue their recoveries at the Zoo.
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This article appears in Apr 25 – May 2, 2019.