Miami Seaquarium® is committed to wildlife conservation and the rescue, rehabilitation and release of distressed marine animals. This commitment began even before the park first opened its doors. In July 1955, the park’s conservation work began when Mamie, a three-week-old, 47-pound manatee was rescued after being injured.
Miami Seaquarium® is one of only five facilities in the State of Florida authorized by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as a Manatee Critical Care Facility. The park’s highly trained animal rescue team includes divers, veterinarians and animal caretakers who are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to rescue animals and need and provide continuous care for nursing them back to health.
Today, Miami Seaquarium® is at the forefront of manatee rescue and rehabilitation techniques. We are widely recognized as one of the leading marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation facilities in the country, thanks in part to our long history of leading the way in care for these amazing animals. Learn more about our Florida Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation program.
Miami Sequarium® is also proud of the incredible work provided with regards to the sea turtle population. We have rescued, rehabilitated, and released numerous sea turtles and welcomed unreleasable turtles to our ‘Discovery Keys,’ which mimics a natural South Florida coastal habitat. Learn more about our Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation program.
Romeo and Juliet were among the first manatees the Seaquarium rescued, in 1956, and among the most impactful animals to ever call the Seaquarium home. They were the first manatees to conceive offspring in human care, one of numerous “firsts” accomplished by the pair. Juliet, a 2,500-pound manatee, continues to show her love by nursing five orphan calves in recent years. The now 61-year-old sea cow and her mate are local celebrities here at Miami Seaquarium, their home for the past 66 years.
In 2015, Miami Seaquarium became the forever home to two sea lions, Berkely and Monterey. They were part of an Unusual Mortality Event (UME) where more than 3,000 starving sea lions, mostly pups, were stranded on Southern California beaches. Berkeley and Monterey were found emaciated, dehydrated and very underweight. After being rescued, rehabilitated and released several times, the National Marine Fisheries Service determined these two sea lions were incapable of a safe and enduring release back into the wild, thus necessitating the need for a permanent home to ensure their safety. Miami Seaquarium is honored to be here for Berkeley and Monterey, who have been happily hanging out with us for the past six years!