I made one last trip to Zoo Tampa right before Christmas. My “pay for a day and get the rest of the year free” would run out at the end of the year. I was there early and happened to catch the manatee hospital checking on some patients. They rescue and rehabilitate wild manatees here. Most of the manatees that come in are from boat strikes, cold stress or red tide symptoms. They have 3 pools where the floor raises up so they can treat the manatees without having to take them out of the pools. They were checking on 3 that had just come into the manatee hospital here. One was getting medicine through a tube. It’s really cool to watch but sad that they are here. Several years ago when my sister was visiting we were able to see a manatee release that the zoo did at the Manatee Viewing Center that you can read about here. 

Above is a short video of a manatee eating lettuce in the bigger pool that you can look over. It was funny to watch him stuffing the lettuce into his mouth with his flippers.

The baboons are always funny to watch, especially when they flash their heart shaped bottoms.

The siamang were being quiet this morning. They usually are hooting and swinging in the morning.

One of the younger orangutans coming to the front for everyone to “awe” and “ooh” over.

I think that lapwings are one of my favorite birds here with that yellow face and bright pink legs. He was in the aviary that you can walk through and was not shy at all.

Both eagles here have injuries that were sustained in the wild. This one is missing a wing.

I was lucky enough again to see the Florida panther walk over me in the glass walkway. Look at those big paws.

I noticed he was licking his lips and realized he might be thinking I was lunch.

It was a beautiful morning and I was traveling light with only phone.