Brevard Zoo to build county’s first manatee rehabilitation center

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Brevard County is getting its first manatee rehabilitation center.

The Brevard Zoo announced Monday that it will build the center to expand its efforts to provide care for manatees in need.

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Zoo officials said funding for the center comes from a grant from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

While the zoo ultimately plans to create a rehabilitation center at its future Aquarium and Conservation Center, officials said they will start by building three tanks in behind-the-scenes areas on zoo grounds first.

Read: Manatee rescued from crab trap in Brevard County

Zoo officials said the these facilities will be able to care for stable, non-critical manatee patients in need of additional monitoring, weight gain or better weather conditions for release.

Video: Florida pauses program to feed lettuce to starving manatee population A state program to feed starving manatees is over for the year. (WFTV)

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