Wildlife officials share update after rescuing manatee stuck in storm drain: 'We never would have known'

A manatee off the coast of Florida swam up a storm drain trying to stay warm during a cold snap and got stuck there, according to local news station Fox 35.

Fortunately, officials were doing a stormwater survey and found it. Mayor Terry Cronin noted, "And so, if we weren't doing the stormwater survey we would never have known that the animal was in there. So it's very serendipitous."

The animal was inside a baffle box, which is part of the drain designed to trap debris so it doesn't end up either on the street or washed back into the ocean. Accessing the baffle box involved digging up a local road. Officials had to hold an emergency meeting to fund those repairs. 

Once accessed, the animal was put in a sling and transported to SeaWorld, where its health will be evaluated. The manatee wasn't showing signs of health problems or distress from the cold, but experts wanted more time to evaluate its health further before making any definitive statements. 

Manatees generally thrive when the water is at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit. If it gets colder, they tend to move toward warmer areas, including those around power plants or even warm springs. 

Changes to the overall climate mean that events like this may start happening more often as animals experience weather and temperatures they don't expect. 

It's illegal to hurt, feed, or disturb manatees in any way in Florida.

Taking action to help them may mean calling a local hotline or bringing in experts who can assess their needs and get them any help they require. You can report seeing animals with bleached skin spots, sores on their skin, or ones that are underweight, as they may be too cold.

Communities working together can help animals like manatees thrive, even when the climate doesn't do what they expect it to do. 

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