Six rescued manatees land in Ohio for winter rehab, as four graduates head home to Florida waters

It was a two-way relay run entirely for manatees. On Monday, four rescued manatees who had been recovering at zoos in Columbus and Cincinnati flew back to Florida to continue rehabilitation closer to home, with release into their native waters expected this winter. On Wednesday, six more rescued manatees arrived in Ohio — three welcomed by the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and three by the Cincinnati Zoo — for the next stage of their care. The moves are choreographed by the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership, a network of nonprofits, zoos, and state and federal agencies that has made an art of giving these gentle giants a second chance.

SDG 15 · Life on land — Mechanism: institutional program