Reporter: Zoe Warner
•6/30/2026
CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WINK)—A manatee named “Nubelle” returned to Cape Coral waters after recovering from a boat strike that left her with a broken rib and punctured lung.
Nubelle was released back into her natural habitat Tuesday morning, with neighbors, Zoo Tampa and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission present to see her fully healed. It took six months for Nubelle to recover, which her caretakers say is faster than many manatees with similar injuries.
Last December, neighbors reported seeing a manatee floating in the Cape Coral canals with scars on her back. FWC said Nubelle was hit by a boat, leaving her with a fractured rib.
After months of treatments, exercise and care, Nubelle was ready to be free again. Zoo Tampa and neighbors want to remind everyone to be cautious while boating, especially this summer.
"We see people going 25 miles an hour in the canals, and people just don't think they really need to slow down," a Cape Coral neighbor said.
A Zoo Tampa caretaker emphasized the importance of awareness on the water.
"Being aware of manatees out on the water, but not only manatees, turtles, dolphins, all the other animals that use the waterways, that's their home, and we're just using it to have a good time," the caretaker said.
Nubelle's release serves as a reminder to slow down while on the water to protect marine life.
