410-pound manatee rescued after getting trapped in Florida storm drain

A manatee was rescued after it was trapped in a Florida storm drain while seeking warmer waters after recent cold temperatures.

Multiple fire rescue units and officials were brought in Tuesday to get the 410-pound sea cow out of the storm drain, designed to collect trash and debris.

Brevard County Fire Rescue (BCFR) said it “took a village to free the sea cow,” including “BCFR’s stations 48 and 64, Indiatlantic Fire Rescue, Melbourne Beach FD, University of Florida’s Veterinary Emergency Treatment Services, FWC (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission), Public Works, and Jack’s Wrecker Service.”

A worker with Melbourne Beach first spotted the manatee, according to Melbourne Beach Vice-Mayor Terry Cronin.

“We’re in the process of improving the storm drain across Melbourne Beach. Our people were doing a survey. And one of the surveyors noticed a manatee in what is called a baffle box,” Cronin told WESH-TV after the rescue.

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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said that during the initial onsite assessment, responders noted that the male manatee “was underweight and had multiple open wounds on his underside near the tail and flippers.”

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“The good news: the manatee showed interest in food during his first night in care, which is an encouraging sign,” they added.

The manatee is now recovering at SeaWorld Orlando after the co-ordinated rescue effort.

“When we say our SeaWorld Rescue team is always on-call, we mean it. Monday in the late evening, we received a call about a manatee who was trapped in a ‘baffle box’ underground and was rescued through a multi-agency effort, including our partners at @myFWC. Our team was then ready to receive this over 400 pound manatee for expert care and rehabilitation,” SeaWorld Orlando wrote in a post on Instagram.

The animal theme park said the “gentle giant is showing positive signs of recovery,” like “moving independently, breathing on his own, and showing interest in food.”

“We’re optimistic about his future and grateful to play a critical part in his journey,” SeaWorld Orlando added.

The protected species is still recovering from a mass starvation event. In 2021, officials recorded more than 1,100 manatee deaths, mostly caused by starvation. The state’s fish and wildlife agency said deaths have gone down significantly, with 565 deaths recorded in 2024 and 555 in 2023.

This isn’t the first time a manatee has been stuck in a storm drain in Florida.

In 2015, rescuers worked late into the night to free at least 19 manatees who were stuck in a storm drain in Satellite Beach and returned to the Indian River Lagoon System.

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Manatee rescued from storm drain in Florida

After the manatees were removed from the drain, they were allowed to rest before they were loaded into a truck and taken back to the body of water that led to the river.

— With files from The Associated Press

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