City surveyors in Melbourne Beach, Fla., heard chirping from a storm drain in February and assumed it was rats. It turned out to be a 7-foot, 410-pound manatee.
Freeing the animal required firefighters, ventilation equipment and the removal of 10,000 pounds of concrete.
On Tuesday, April 7, the manatee—nicknamed Melby—was released into the Eau Gallie River at Ballard Park in Melbourne. He weighed 515 pounds, a gain of 105 pounds after nearly two months of rehabilitation at SeaWorld Orlando.
The event drew community members of all ages, local government representatives and members of the Rotary Club of Melbourne Beach.
How was Melby the manatee found in a storm drain?
City surveyors were conducting routine work in Melbourne Beach on Feb. 9 when they heard unusual chirping coming from a storm drain under the road. They thought it was rats.
Instead, they found a 7-foot manatee stuck in a “baffle box,” a concrete structure used to filter pollutants from water before it enters waterways. The manatee was unable to turn around inside the pipe.
Firefighters Rescue 410-Pound Manatee From Storm Drain
Why did a manatee end up in a storm drain?
The manatee likely entered the drain pipe during a cold snap. Manatees seek warm water during cold weather and often find refuge in natural springs such as the Three Sisters Springs and Blue Spring State Park.
Many of those natural springs have stopped flowing, been cut off by development or been polluted. The drain pipe likely appeared to provide warmer water, but it contained very little water, and the manatee became stuck.
How did rescue crews free the manatee from the drain?
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) normally handles rescue missions for distressed manatees, but the agency wasn’t equipped to handle this situation alone. The Brevard County Fire Department received a call from the FWC at 2:30 p.m., and the rescue team arrived about 30 minutes later.
Rescue teams first installed ventilation fans to pump fresh air into the drain. A firefighter descended using respiratory protection and air quality monitoring equipment, then placed a large plastic sheet over the manatee to protect the animal from falling debris during concrete removal.
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After receiving permission from the government, Brevard County Public Works removed 10,000 pounds of concrete. A private towing company helped hoist the manatee out of the drain free of charge.
Melby was then loaded onto a truck and transported to SeaWorld for care.
How did Melby recover at SeaWorld Orlando?
Upon arrival at SeaWorld Orlando, Melby weighed 410 pounds and was described as “emaciated” with wounds and a small infection. He was stiff, likely from being unable to move in the pipe. Treatment included wound care and antibiotics.
“He was a little off; a little stiff, probably from being in the pipe and not being able to move around. But after a few days, he was moving quite well,” SeaWorld Orlando Senior Staff Veterinarian Lydia Staggs said, per Central Florida Public Media.
Nearly two months later, Melby weighed 515 pounds at release—a gain of 105 pounds.
“We got him fattened up. We did a very good job of that,” Staggs said.
FWC staff evaluated and measured Melby just before the release. Now he’s healthy—and back where he belongs.
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