Trapped manatee rescued from storm drain beneath Melbourne Beach road
Numerous agencies came together to rescue a manatee trapped in a stormwater baffle box in Melbourne Beach.
- A juvenile male manatee was rescued after being trapped in a Melbourne Beach storm drain.
- The 410-pound manatee, named “Melby,” was found underweight with several open wounds.
- Melby is now recovering at SeaWorld in Orlando and has shown encouraging signs like an interest in food.
A juvenile male manatee dubbed “Melby” is on the mend at SeaWorld in Orlando, after unknown hours trapped in a Melbourne Beach storm drain.
Florida wildlife officials say it was a quick call from the public to a wildlife hotline and a fast response from local, state and federal agencies that kept Melby’s life from just going ‘down the drain.’
Now, Melby’s on the mend — and hungry.
“He showed some interest in food during his first night, which is an encouraging sign,” Kristen Turner, spokeswoman for Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said Tuesday via email. “His condition continues to be evaluated.”
Firefighters, multiple agencies step up to save ‘Melby’
Just after 9 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9, Brevard firefighters helped to excavate and remove Melby from a storm drain with the help of multiple partners.
Melby measures about seven feet in length and weighs about 410 pounds. Rescue workers from several agencies, including FWC, Brevard County Fire Rescue and others, converged on Neptune Drive in the beachside community to extract the manatee.
“During the initial onsite health assessment, responders noted the manatee was underweight and had multiple open wounds on the underside near the tail and flippers,” Turner added. “The manatee was alert and moving at the time of rescue but had been exposed to shallow, cold water and likely had been inside the culvert for an extended period of time.”
FWC can’t say for sure if cold drove Melby down the drain but that’s the most likely reason.
“While rare, manatees are naturally curious may enter culverts and similar structures, and these situations often go unnoticed,” Turner added. “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.”
The manatee was pulled from the underground baffle box after utility workers dug through several feet of concrete to reach the trapped mammal.
Workers continued their efforts for several hours as the nighttime chill descended on the area. Heavy equipment was brought in to slice into the roadway and remove the drain lid as lights glared.
A tow truck lifted Melby out of the drain.
It was not immediately known how or when the manatee — a native, threatened Florida species which lives in many of the state’s waterways — wandered into the storm drain.
The rescue drew attention from residents along with media, even with efforts to pull Melby from the drain being livestreamed on YouTube. Manatees are typically drawn to warmer waters during the winter.
What if you see a sick, stranded or dead manatee, or other distressed wildlife?
If you see an injured, distressed, or dead manatee, or any wildlife in need of assistance, please call the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922). Your call may save an animal’s life.
Jim Waymer covers environment and local government. Contact him at (321) 261-5903 or jwaymer@floridatoday.com. Follow him on X at @JWayEnviro.
