WFSU Radio

The Manatee and Aquatic Center at Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo expands the traditional boundaries of a zoo, focusing efforts on a high-profile Florida marine mammal species: the Manatee. The Manatee and Aquatic Center was the first to be designed and built specifically for manatees. Today it is the only non-profit center specifically dedicated to the treatment of sick, injured, and orphaned manatees in the world.

Florida Public Radio's Trimmel Gomes takes in depths look at the hospital's operation, including its fully functional Emergency Room. At the same time Trimmel traveled to Crystal River to witness the Release of "Muddy Barron" from the hospital's care. "Muddy Barron" is an orphaned manatee that arrived just three months old at the zoo, clinging to life by a thread. He was released on Wednesday, February 27th. The two-year-old male is the first orphan successfully raised at the zoo from such a young age.