ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Three manatees have been moved from Miami Seaquarium after video of one of the manatees went viral on TikTok, sparking public outcry.
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The drone video showed a manatee named Romeo swimming alone in a small, circular pool in backstage area, away from park visitors.
On Tuesday, manatees Romeo and Juliet were moved from the marine-life park on Key Biscayne to ZooTampa at Lowry Park.
“We are grateful to all organizations involved in this intricate operation and pledge our continued commitment to help Florida wildlife,” the Zoo said in a Facebook post.
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Also on Tuesday, a third manatee named Clarity was moved from the Seaquarium to SeaWorld Orlando.
The park said Clarity is in critical condition but is stable.
Clarity is “resting in a medical pool with other manatees as she receives around-the-clock care and a complete workup by our veterinary and manatee specialist care team,” SeaWorld said.
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“While we don’t yet have a complete picture of her current health, we are cautiously optimistic about her future,” the park said in a Facebook post. “Our compassionate and dedicated team will do everything we can to help her return to optimal health.”
SeaWorld said that once Clarity is in better health, wildlife authorities will “review her case and determine best placement for her at another facility.”
The park said that the manatees were moved at the request of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and it was assisted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
SeaWorld has rescued more than 50 manatees so far this year.
See a map of Miami Seaquarium below:
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