Trapped manatee rescued from storm drain under road in Melbourne Beach
Many agencies came together to rescue a manatee trapped in a rainwater baffle box on Melbourne Beach.
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — A juvenile male manatee weighing more than 400 pounds, nicknamed “Melby” by some local officials, is recovering after being trapped in a storm drain at SeaWorld Orlando and rescued by multiple agencies.
On Monday, February 9, local fire and rescue services and wildlife officials converged on Melbourne Beach to rescue a sea cow trapped inside a baffle box, an underground structure designed to remove dirt, trash and debris from rainwater. Melbourne Beach is a coastal town approximately 120 miles southeast of Orlando, Florida.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said quick calls from the public to its wildlife hotline and quick responses from local, state and federal agencies saved Melby’s life from being lost. Melby is now recovering and is hungry.
“He showed some interest in food the first night, which is an encouraging sign,” Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokeswoman Kristen Turner told Florida Today, part of the USA TODAY Network, on Tuesday, Feb. 10. “His condition continues to be evaluated.”
It was not immediately clear how or when the manatee, an endangered species endangered by Florida that lives in many of the state’s waterways, ended up in the storm drain. Manatees are typically drawn to warmer waters during the winter.
“It took a village to free a sea cow.”
Florida Today reported that multiple agencies, including the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Brevard County Fire and Rescue, the University of Florida, and Jack’s Towing Service responded to the waterfront community around 5 p.m. local time on Monday, February 9.
Instructors from Brevard County Fire and Rescue and the University of Florida Veterinary Emergency Care Services were called to assist in the rescue at the conclusion of animal rescue training, the fire department said.
“This large mammal became trapped inside a storm drain seeking warmth during the recent cold weather,” Brevard County Fire Rescue said in a statement on Facebook. “It took a village to free the sea cow.”
Rescue workers continued their rescue efforts for several hours as nighttime cold gripped the area. Under the bright light, heavy machinery was brought in to cut into the roadway and remove the drain cover.
The manatee was extracted from an underground baffle box shortly after 9 p.m. after utility workers dug several feet of concrete to reach the trapped mammal. A tow truck pulled the manatee out of the drainage ditch.
“During the initial on-scene medical examination, responders noted that the manatee was underweight and had multiple open wounds on its underside near its tail and flippers,” Turner said in an email. “At the time of rescue, the manatee was alert and moving, but was exposed to shallow, cold water and likely had been in the culvert for an extended period of time.”
Melby shows ‘positive signs of recovery’
Melby is about 7 feet long and weighs about 410 pounds, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. He was then taken to SeaWorld Orlando for rehabilitation.
“Our team was ready to receive this 400+ pound manatee for professional care and rehabilitation,” SeaWorld Orlando said on Facebook on Wednesday, Feb. 11. “This gentle giant is showing positive signs of recovery here (at SeaWorld Orlando), moving independently, breathing on his own, and showing interest in food! We are optimistic about his future and grateful to play an important role in his journey!”
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said it can’t say for sure whether the cold weather weakened Melby, but said it was the most likely reason.
“While rare, manatees, who are naturally curious, may enter culverts and similar structures, but these situations often go unnoticed,” Turner said. “In many cases, animals are not found alive. This rescue had a positive outcome because someone immediately called the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline, allowing responders to act quickly.”
Manatees remain an endangered species
At about 10 feet long and weighing an average of 1,000 pounds, manatees are gentle giants of the water. Sea cows can grow up to 13 feet long and weigh up to 3,500 pounds, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
National Geographic reports that these gentle marine mammals are classified into three different species based on their location. Western manatees live on the east coast of North America, including Florida. The Amazonian manatee lives in the Amazon River, and the African manatee lives along the west coast and rivers of Africa.
Manatee populations have been negatively impacted over the years by many factors, including habitat loss, poor fishing practices, boat strikes, and pollution. They are still at risk.
“Populations of this subspecies have increased over the past 30 years, which is why the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) removed the western Indian manatee from the list of endangered species in 2017,” according to the Marine Mammal Commission.
2021 marked a record high for manatee deaths in Florida, with more than 1,100 deaths recorded, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The Unusual Mortality Event (UME) was caused by starvation due to seagrass decline.
The UME was closed in March 2025 after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported a decline in mortality, recorded at 565 animals in 2024 and 555 animals in 2023.
“The increased number of manatee deaths associated with this UME has decreased three years ago, and researchers have not recorded any manatee starvation deaths related to feed shortages in the past two years,” the agency said.
Contributor: Olivia Munson, USA TODAY. JD Gallop and Malcolm Denmark, FL Today
