SeaWorld And 4Roots Collaborate To Rehab Manatees With Lettuce
SeaWorld has joined forces with 4Roots Farm to study how hydroponically grown lettuce can aid in the rehabilitation of manatees. This collaboration is timely as the rate of manatee deaths in Florida begins to slow, offering hope for the conservation of these gentle creatures.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Florida is home to an estimated 7,000 to 11,000 manatees. After a concerning peak of 1,100 deaths in 2021, the number of fatalities has significantly decreased, with 391 deaths reported so far in 2024.
SeaWorld’s Role In Manatee Rescue
SeaWorld Orlando plays a pivotal role in rescuing and rehabilitating manatees, having saved over 800 since 1976. Their five-acre rescue center, one of only five manatee critical care facilities in the nation, last expanded in 2022. Manatees often come to SeaWorld due to injuries or being orphaned, with the primary goal being their swift return to the wild.
Dr. Joseph Gaspard, vice president of Zoological Operations at SeaWorld Orlando, highlighted the new partnership with 4Roots Farm. They are researching whether diet modifications, such as using romaine lettuce instead of natural seagrass, can expedite the recovery of manatees. These herbivorous mammals consume up to 3,000 pounds of lettuce daily, amounting to 20,000 pounds weekly.
Innovative Hydroponic Farming At 4Roots
Located about 15 miles from SeaWorld in Orlando’s Packing District, 4Roots Farm supplies hydroponically grown lettuce for the manatees. This method involves growing plants in a water-based nutrient solution rather than soil, retaining the nutrient-rich root bulbs. “We found that about 30% of the nutrients in lettuce are in the root bulb, and hydroponic growth allows us to harvest this part,” explained Josh Taylor, head farmer at 4Roots Farm.
Currently, 4Roots provides SeaWorld with approximately 1,000 pounds of lettuce each week. This collaboration is seen as a stepping stone for future research on manatee rehabilitation, with the nutrient-dense bulbs potentially playing a key role in faster recovery.
John Rivers, the founder of 4Roots Farm and 4Rivers restaurants, mentioned that the partnership was initiated by a chance meeting with SeaWorld’s chief financial officer. Together, they aim to improve manatee health and recovery through innovative and sustainable farming practices.
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