TAMPA, Fla. — Manatees loooooove romaine lettuce.

What You Need To Know • ZooTampa 's construction continues at Manatee rescue and rehabilitation center with plans to open in spring of 2026 • Will be renamed "Florida Waters," and will host life from fresh to salty to brackish waters • Caretakers monitor manatees daily for any behavior change as a result of construction • MAP: View more Florida on a Tankful locations

It’s something you can verify yourself at ZooTampa’s manatee habitat, where Senior Curator of Florida and Marine Life Molly Lippincott is in charge of their care.

“So we’ve been working on this project for almost five years — the construction itself has been about two years,” said Lippincott.

This project is an overhaul of the manatee rescue and rehab facilities.

“

See Full Page