We’ve welcomed three female manatees to East Coast Zoological Foundation’s (ECZF) Rehabilitation Center at Brevard Zoo! Redrock, Rosalyn, and Erie are one step closer to their anticipated release back to their native Florida waters!  

Earlier this week, the trio arrived from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, where they have been receiving care since November 2025. They now live in our behind-the-scenes Rehabilitation Center at the Zoo.   

Redrock, Rosalyn, and Erie were orphaned as young manatees and needed to grow while building their strength and skills in a safe place.  

• Redrock was found in the Indian River Lagoon in Titusville. She weighed just 49 pounds at her rescue on May 10, 2024, and now weighs about 528 pounds. 

• Rosalyn was rescued on Dec. 2, 2024, in the Banana River in Cocoa Beach. She weighed about 50 pounds at rescue and now weighs 624 pounds.  

• Erie survived severe cold stress, which caused skin loss around her face—an unfortunate reminder of her past but a testament to her resilience. She was rescued at 110 pounds on Jan. 9, 2025, in the DeSoto Canal area in Cocoa Beach. She is now about 648 pounds.  

The manatees were originally rescued through efforts involving the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and members of the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP), a cooperative network of nonprofit, private, state, and federal organizations working together to rescue, rehabilitate, and ultimately return manatees to Florida’s waters. This transfer to our Zoo was part of a recent set of transfers coordinated among participating organizations, including our organization, Columbus Zoo, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, SeaWorld Orlando, Jacksonville Zoo and Botanical Gardens, and transportation partner DHL Express.

“We’re proud to welcome Redrock, Erie, and Rosalyn back to Florida to continue their rehabilitation journey with the goal of eventually releasing them back to their native waters,” said Becca Downey, Senior Conservation Manager with ECZF. “So many organizations have been a part of this trio’s journey—including SeaWorld Orlando and Columbus Zoo and Aquarium—we’re ready to do our part in offering Redrock, Erie, and Rosalyn a chance to thrive in their Florida home.”  

ECZF’s Manatee Rehabilitation Center opened in April 2025 at Brevard Zoo with the goal to provide immediate care to stable, non-critical manatee patients in need of additional monitoring, weight gain or better weather conditions for release. We hope to eventually upgrade the facility to accommodate manatee patients in need of critical care as well.  

We are proud to be able to offer our expertise and advanced veterinary care to this species, especially as this region has been at the epicenter of a historic wave of manatee deaths in recent years. We hope to be this trio’s final stop before they head home back to our Florida waters!