Florida zoo giving special care to Romeo and Juliet, '2 of the oldest living manatees'
A portly pair of manatees has arrived at a zoo in Tampa, Florida.
According to a release from ZooTampa, "elderly and overweight" manatees Romeo and Juliet arrived at the zoo in the Lowry Park neighborhood of the city last week.
"It's going to be a long road, but there is no facility better prepared to address the urgent health needs of these manatees while the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership identifies the best option for their long-term placements," said Dr. Cynthia Stringfield, a manatee critical care veterinarian and the senior vice president of Animal Health, Conservation and Education at ZooTampa.
Zoo representatives say both manatees are over the age of 65.
Stringfield said it is uncommon for manatees to be as heavy as Juliet, who is 3,045 pounds.
"As two of the oldest living manatees, Romeo and Juliet deserve the best care possible as they live out their final years," Stringfield added.
ZooTampa's David A. Straz Manatee Critical Care Center is one of only three centers of its kind in the United States.