Watch: Manatee Mom, Baby Return To The Wild

Tarpon Springs, FL — Tarpon Springs officially has two more residents courtesy of Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo.

The zoo announced early Thursday afternoon that its planned release of a mother manatee and her baby went smoothly. Shamrock, the 810-pound mother, and Emerald, her 335-pound daughter, were released into the water at the Craig Park boat ramp around 11 a.m.

Shamrock was rescued on March 15 near Tarpon Springs, the zoo said. She had a collapsed lung following a boat strike. To ensure the health of mother and baby, both were brought to the Tampa zoo for care.

Shamrock and Emerald are the 231st and 232nd manatees successfully rehabilitated and released by the zoo since it opened its David A. Straz Jr. Manatee Hospital in 1991 to provide care for sick and wounded manatees from across the state. Since its inception, the hospital has cared for more than 400 manatees.

Last week’s successful release of Shorley marked the 230th successful rehabilitation for the hospital.

Manatees cared for at the hospital come in suffering from a variety of conditions. The zoo’s team has treated manatees for such concerns as boat strikes, red tide exposure, cold stress and entanglement. The hospital also takes in orphaned manatees.

“This endangered species has been at the heart of the zoo’s commitment to conserving Florida wildlife for 25 years,” explained Larry Killmar, Lowry Park’s chief zoological officer, senior vice president and zoo director. “We focus on the welfare of each manatee patient that comes to us so that we can help to conserve the species in Florida waterways. Conservation education programs at the zoo reach more than 1 million visitors annually about how to protect manatees when they leave our hospital.”

Lowry Park’s manatee hospital is the only nonprofit, acute care facility of its kind and is one of only three federally permitted rehabilitation facilities in the state, the zoo said.

As a nonprofit organization, the zoo relies heavily on donations to fund its manatee hospital and other animal care efforts.

“Without support from you and others in our community, the zoo cannot continue critical care of manatees,” it explained on its website.

To help fund the next successful manatee rehabilitation and release, visit Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo online.

Photos and video courtesy of Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo