JACKSONVILLE, FLA. –  In honor of National Safe Boating Week, May 17–23, 2025, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is reminding the community that practicing responsible boating is not only vital for people, but essential for protecting one of Florida’s most beloved and vulnerable marine mammals: the manatee.

With the summer approaching and a busy boating season ahead, it is important to recognize how responsible boating can prevent manatee injuries and fatalities. Every year, a significant number of manatees are harmed by boat strikes, which are often fatal due to the animals’ slow-moving nature and their tendency to surface for air in shallow waters.

“Boating safety is manatee safety,” said Ashley Nelsen, Senior Manatee Care Specialist at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. “As we build what will be Florida’s largest manatee critical care center, we’re doubling down on our commitment to protect and rehabilitate these gentle giants. But prevention is just as important, so we urge everyone to slow down in manatee zones, stay vigilant, and follow posted speed limits and waterway signs.”

Slated to open in 2026, construction is underway at the Zoo to build Florida’s largest manatee critical care center.  The J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver Manatee River and VyStar SkyScape Entrance will be a state-of-the-art, $70 million manatee rescue habitat and entrance, set to transform the guest experience.

The Zoo is currently encouraging visitors and the community to join the REZOOVENATION crowdfunding campaign to help “fill the river.”  By donating just $5, guests can support the project and receive a special sticker redeemable at the Zoo’s gift shop. Guests are then encouraged to place their sticker on the interactive board outside the Zoo entrance to visually track progress toward the $5 million goal.

The new habitat, holding 330,000 gallons of water, will allow the Zoo to rescue, rehabilitate, recover and release local Florida manatees.  Designed to educate visitors about the critical plight of manatees and their role in the ecosystem, this space will also inspire conservation efforts.

To learn more about National Safe Boasting Week, please visit: www.safeboatingcampaign.com.

For more information on the manatee critical care center or to donate, please visit here.

About Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

For over 100 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has aimed to inspire the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experiences in a caring environment. Starting in 1914 with an animal collection of one red deer fawn, the Zoo now has more than 2,000 rare and exotic animals and 1,000 species of plants, boasting the largest botanical garden in Northeast Florida. The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is a nonprofit organization and a portion of every ticket sold goes to the over 45 conservation initiatives Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens supports around the world, and here in NE Florida. JZG is proud to be an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. For more information, visit here.