Utility Investments: Manatee Center Adds Permanent Ray Habitat

Tampa Electric opened the Manatee Viewing Center on Sunday, Nov. 1, marking the start of the 2026-27 season. The facility marks its 40th anniversary this year with capital improvements and a new permanent resident in its touch tank.

Cownose rays now reside at the facility year-round. Previously, staff moved the rays to another location during the summer off-season. Tampa Electric states that keeping the animals on-site eliminates the physical stress of relocation. During the summer months, the rays serve as educational ambassadors for campers.

The utility funded several infrastructure upgrades to handle visitor traffic and weather damage. A new shaded shelter now covers the tram pickup area at the south end of the parking lot. Solar-powered charging tables replaced units that suffered hurricane damage. The Suncoast Youth Conservation Center received a new freshwater turtle habitat with underwater viewing windows.

Public access to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s fish hatchery is now part of the visitor experience. The Tom Hernandez Clean Energy Center also underwent improvements throughout the season. These updates aim to enhance the educational value of the 500-acre campus.

The site anchors the Florida Conservation and Technology Center, a shared facility involving Tampa Electric, The Florida Aquarium, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the University of Florida. The campus serves as a hub for research, education, and conservation. Admission and parking remain free for all visitors.

Manatees have used the warm-water canal near the Big Bend Power Station as a refuge since the early 1970s. When Tampa Bay water temperatures drop to 68 degrees or below, the animals gather in the canal. Records show a peak of 2,100 manatees in the canal during a single day last season. Approximately 190 individual manatees have returned to the area for more than 20 years, and one has returned for over four decades.

The center has welcomed more than 8.7 million visitors since its opening. It operates daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Nov. 1 through April 15, excluding Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. The facility closes at 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve.