Ralston, a rescued manatee, returned home to the Halifax River in Florida in August. Photo by SeaWorld Orlando.
After months of rehabilitation, SeaWorld Orlando recently released Ralston, a Florida manatee, back to the wild!
Ralston was brought to SeaWorld Orlando by Florida Fish and Wildlife Service after he got severely injured by a crab trap. His left pectoral flipper had to be amputated, but with daily care from SeaWorld’s Animal Team, his health recovered, and he was ready to go back home.
Ralston was transported by van to the Halifax River in Florida, where his rescue was originally made.
Using a crane, the Animal Team was able to lift Ralston into the van gently. Photo by SeaWorld Orlando.
Ralston was transported by van back to the Halifax River, where he was found. Photo by SeaWorld Orlando.
After months of rehabilitation, Ralston was ready to return to the wild! SeaWorld vets microchipped him so if he finds himself at another rescue facility in the future, the vets there will be able to access all of his veterinary history and information. Photo by SeaWorld Orlando.
Churro, a young Florida manatee, is one of many success stories from SeaWorld Orlando as they celebrate 1000 manatee rescues! Photo by SeaWorld Orlando.
It’s Manatee Appreciation Day today, and SeaWorld Orlando has a great way to celebrate! They have reached a historic milestone – 1000 manatee rescues!
For nearly 50 years, SeaWorld has worked with federal, state and nonprofit organizations to rescue and rehabilitate injured or cold-stressed manatees and then release them back into the wild.
Recently, they successfully released a mother-daughter manatee pair named Reckless and Churro. In 2022, Reckless was struck by a boat and her shoulder was shattered. Her newborn, Churro, was only a couple days old at the time.
Mother manatee, Reckless, was severely injured after being struck by a boat in 2022. Photo by SeaWorld Orlando.
The SeaWorld veterinary team performed 12 lifesaving procedures and provided more than 17,000 hours of specialized care to ensure the pair could be successfully returned to their natural habitat.
SeaWorld Orlando veterinary staff performed surgery on Reckless’s shoulder. Photo by SeaWorld Orlando.
After 20 months of intensive care, Reckless and Churro were fit to be released. SeaWorld used specialized equipment to transport the manatee pair back to the wild. Photo by SeaWorld Orlando.
SeaWorld staff measured Churro before releasing her back to her natural habitat with her mother. Photo by SeaWorld Orlando.
For more information about SeaWorld’s rehabilitation work, see their website.
There was an abundance of adorable baby animals born or rescued in 2024. Here are a few highlights of the cutest babies:
Best Baby Mustache
As you can imagine, this was a competitive category, but the best baby mustache goes to Uki, a baby Pacific walrus rescued in Alaska by the Alaska SeaLife Center and SeaWorld Orlando.
Photo by Alaska SeaLife Center / Courtesy SeaWorld Orlando.
Leggiest Duo
The award for leggiest duo goes to this pair of giraffe calves born at the Taronga Western Plains Zoo to mothers Asmara and Zane on September 14 and 20 this year.
Photo by Taronga Western Plains Zoo.
Fluffiest Fuzzball
The fluffiest fuzzball title goes to the Chilean flamingo chicks hatched at the Lincoln Park Zoo in August.
Photo by Lincoln Park Zoo.
Rough-n-Tumbliest Baby
The rough-n-tumbliest award goes to this boisterous baby black rhino, shown here romping with his mother, Mesi. The calf was born at the Taronga Western Plains Zoo in August.
Photo credit: Hayley Brooks, Taronga Western Plains Zoo.
Pokiest Baby
This baby North American porcupine takes the title as the pokiest baby. The porcupette was the first ever porcupine to be delivered via C-section at the San Diego Zoo.
Photo credit: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.
Teeniest Slither
The title of teeniest slither goes to this tiny baby gartersnake born at the Arizona Center for Nature Conservation (ACNC)/Phoenix Zoo and released along with 24 others to the wild this September in an ongoing effort to bolster the population.
Photo credit: Phoenix Zoo.
Best Hugger
The award for best hugger goes to Scout, the baby two-toed sloth at the Roger Williams Park Zoo, pictured here cuddling with a favorite stuffie.
Uki, an orphaned Pacific walrus calf, was rescued by the Alaska SeaLife Center and is now under the care of SeaWorld Orlando. Photo by Alaska SeaLife Center.
SeaWorld Orlando welcomed a rare Pacific walrus calf into its care earlier this month. The calf was found orphaned and abandoned on the beaches of Utqiagvik, Alaska. The Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) provided rehabilitative care to the calf, named Ukiaq – or Uki (pronounced “oo-kee”) for short.
After the United States Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) assessed her situation, they decided Uki would not survive if they released her back into the wild. Fortunately, SeaWorld Orlando stepped in to provide a forever home.
Photo credit: Alaska SeaLife Center.
At SeaWorld Orlando, Uki will receive expert care from staff behind the scenes. Then, once she’s ready, Uki will join the other walruses in the herd.
Dr. Joseph Gaspard, Vice President of Zoological Operations at SeaWorld Orlando, remarked on the collaborative nature of Uki’s rescue:
“From the Utqiagvik community members who first found her, to the tireless efforts of the ASLC team, and now to our family here at SeaWorld Orlando, Uki has been surrounded by people committed to giving her a second chance.”
Squirrel, the manatee, on his way back to Florida waters. Photo by Amanda Carberry, Columbus Zoo & Aquarium.
The Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership released five orphaned manatees to Blue Spring State Park in Florida. Blue Spring State Park is home to a spring that stays a constant 22°C (72°F). These warm waters provide a refuge to hundreds of manatees during the winter months.
The five manatees had originally been rescued as calves in 2020 or 2021. Over the past few years, they were treated and rehabilitated by a partnership of organizations, including SeaWorld Orlando, The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Brevard Zoo, Georgia Aquarium, Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Save the Manatee Club.
The manatees were fitted with GPS tracking devices so their progress can be monitored.
Squirrel, the manatee, being examined and measured before being released into the waters at Blue Spring State Park in Florida. Photo by Amanda Carberry, Columbus Zoo & Aquarium.
Clank, the manatee, being carried on a tarp toward the water at Blue Spring State Park in Florida. When he was rescued as a calf, he weighed 58 kg (128 lb.) He now weighs 329 kg (725 lb.). Photo by Save the Manatee Club.
Clank, the manatee, getting released at Blue Spring State Park in Florida. Photo by Save the Manatee Club.
The five orphaned manatees were released into the water at Blue Spring State Park in Florida. This spring is home to hundreds of manatees because it stays a constant 22°C (72°F). Photo by Amanda Carberry, Columbus Zoo & Aquarium.
The first tawny frogmouth chick of the year hatched at SeaWorld Orlando on January 10. Currently weighing 21 grams (under 1 ounce), the little baby bird will grow to weigh as much as 400-600 grams (21 ounces) as an adult.
The chick is being hand-raised by the SeaWorld Aviculture Team. Every night, it goes home with an aviculturist who feeds the chick every 3-4 hours.
Tawny frogmouths are native to Australia. Although they look like owls, they are not in the same family.
Starting today, you can help name a Gentoo penguin chick at SeaWorld Orlando! Cast your vote for your favorite name on the SeaWorld Orlando Facebook page.
From left to right: the king chick hatched on November 30, the Adelie on December 21, the Gentoo on December 16 and the rockhopper on December 20. Photo by Jason Collier / Courtesy of SeaWorld.
Since November 30, SeaWorld Orlando has experienced a penguin chick boom. Fifteen penguin chicks have hatched at their new exhibit, Antarctica, Empire of the Penguin, which features four different species of penguin: king, Adelie, Gentoo, and rockhopper.
From SeaWorld Orlando:
Although currently ranging in size from 6 inches to 21 inches, the king chick, the largest penguin at SeaWorld’s Antarctica will grow to be as tall as 2.5 ft. and its smallest, the rock hopper will grow to be approximately 12 inches tall.
SeaWorld Orlando recently welcomed four tawny frogmouth chicks! (Don’t miss the little one, born January 14, on the right!)
The SeaWorld Orlando Aviculture Team is hand-raising four tawny frogmouth chicks. Three of the chicks were born in early December and the latest addition hatched on January 14.
A member of the Aviculture Team takes a chick home every night to monitor it and provide scheduled feedings every 3-4 hours.
Tawny frogmouths are native to Australia. Their distinct markings help camouflage them on the tree branches.
Two-week old king penguin chick at SeaWorld Orlando. Photo by SeaWorld Orlando.
On November 30, SeaWorld Orlando welcomed the first chick to hatch at their new attraction, Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin. The two-week old king penguin chick weighs 882 grams (30 oz.). It is being cared for by its parents with routine checkups from SeaWorld Orlando staff. The little chick will grow to more than 11 kilograms (24 lbs.) and over 2.5 feet tall.
Like emperor penguins, king penguins do not build nests. Instead the mother and father take turns incubating the egg under their belly on top of their feet.
