The Bishop Welcomes Two New Manatees to
the Parker Manatee Rehabilitation Habitat

March 20, 2023 – Bradenton

The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature announced today that two manatees were welcomed to the Stage 2 Parker Manatee Rehabilitation Habitat on Friday, March 17! They are the first animals to be cared for since the return of three female manatees to the wild last month.

“Tober and Ripkin are settling in,” said Virginia Edmonds, Director of Animal Care at The Bishop, “and as the weeks go on, we will continue to monitor their health and see how they adjust to their new, temporary environment.”

The Bishop has cared for 46 rehabilitating manatees, including Friday’s arrivals:
Ripkin is a juvenile manatee that was rescued in October of 2022 from Ruskin Inlet in Ruskin. Ripkin was an orphaned calf, suffering from a boat propeller injury when he was rescued. He was about 5.4 feet long and weighed 201 pounds. 5 months after rescue, he is 325 pounds.

Tober is also a juvenile male manatee. He was rescued in October of 2021 from Matlacha Pass, Cape Coral as a newborn calf. Tober was orphaned at rescue, measuring only 3.5 feet long and weighing a mere 44 pounds—manatees typically weigh 60 to 80 pounds at birth; today he weighs 360 pounds.

“The goal in the rehabilitation of the manatees in our care is to provide an environment where they can thrive, leading to a timely return to the wild.” said Mandy Choi, Animal Care Specialist at The Bishop.

You can visit Ripken and Tober and watch their progress at the Parker Manatee Rehabilitation Habitat located at The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, 201 10th Street West, Bradenton FL 34205.