POWELL, Ohio — Six orphaned manatees that spent the past year recovering at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden have successfully returned to Florida to complete their rehabilitation and prepare for release back into their native waters.

The transfer, part of the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP) , marks the culmination of more than two years of collaboration among multiple institutions across the country. On November 9, 2025 , the manatees were transported in custom-built containers from Ohio to Florida aboard a specially scheduled DHL cargo flight , with animal care teams accompanying them every step of the way.

In exchange, six new orphaned manatees —three each for the Columbus and Cincinnati zoos—arrived in Ohio on the

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