Nineteen Manatees Rescued From Storm Drain in Florida

Manatees cannot swim backwards. And that's likely the reason why a herd of 19 "sea cows" found themselves trapped in a storm drain in Satellite, Florida.

Image source: NBC News

Late Monday afternoon, news broke that a group of the gentle, warm water-loving manatees had become stuck in a storm drain. The manatees were attempting to find warmer waters during the recent cold snap and swam into the storm drain.

With rain in the forecast, quick action was needed. Should the storm drains fill with water from the rain, the trapped manatees would drown.

Utility workers used heavy construction equipment to open up access for firefighters, members of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and a crew from Sea World.

Crowds gathered to watch as the rescuers worked in concert to get access to the trapped mammals, lift them from the drain system and ultimately return them to the water.

Onlookers cheered as each rescued manatee was returned to the water in a nearby culvert. NBC News was on the scene to cover the release of one of the freed manatees:

The rescue mission was finally completed just after 2 a.m. Tuesday when all of the trapped manatees, including a mother and her calf, were released back into the water.

ABC News reported that the city is installing grates at the mouth of all drains in the region to prevent the manatees from wandering inside the drains again.

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