Juliet, a manatee estimated to have been over 65 years old, has died at ZooTampa. The zoo made the announcement on Sunday.
“Over the past week, Juliet was undergoing a routine medical assessment where she exhibited health issues likely related to her advanced age. She declined suddenly overnight, and sadly passed away early this morning,” ZooTampa said in a Facebook post Sunday. “A necropsy will be performed.”
Juliet was one of the oldest known manatees, according to the post. She, along with a male named Romeo, was transferred to ZooTampa from Miami Seaquarium in December for rehabilitation. The two had lived at the Miami facility since the late 1950s.
“For more than four months, both Romeo and Juliet had successfully adapted to their new environments in the Zoo’s rehabilitation pools and were socializing with other manatees, Romeo continues to thrive,” Dr. Cynthia Stringfield, ZooTampa’s senior vice president of animal health, conservation and education, said in the Facebook post.
Juliet weighed 3,045 pounds when she arrived at ZooTampa, according to the post. Stringfield said Juliet was “an unusually large animal” and many aspects of her overall health were unknown.
“Juliet was a beloved animal, who captured the hearts of many worldwide. We would be contacted frequently by animal care professionals, veterinarians and even the general public who credit her for instilling their passion for these gentle sea cows. Our thoughts are with the entire manatee community and the teams who for more than six decades have cared for her,” Stringfield said in the Facebook post.
Miami Seaquarium is facing eviction following accusations some of its animals were not receiving proper treatment. That included the death of an orca whale named Lolita last August.
The facility recently filed a lawsuit against Miami-Dade County to block the eviction.
