All Night Rescue Mission Saves 19 Manatees Trapped in Storm Drain

Nearly 20 manatees were saved after an all night rescue operation to get them out of a storm drain into which they had meandered and gotten stuck.

The Christian Science Monitor reports that 19 manatees had to be rescued from Satellite Beach, FL storm drain after they had sought warmth in the narrow enclosure.

It is believed that the manatees were trying to escape cold water temperatures brought about by a colder than usual winter. Because of the manatees' large size and the small diameter of the storm drain, they were not able to turn around and return to the Indian River lagoon from which they entered the pipe. Manatees cannot swim backwards.

The rescue operation involved volunteers and a number of local and state government entities. Among those who participated in the rescue were the Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife, airmen from Patrick Air Force Base, the Satellite Beach police and fire departments, Sea World, and a diving group called Black Water Divers.

In addition to manpower, the rescue crews had to utilize backhoes, ladders, and slings to safely lift and maneuver the large mammals, which can weigh more than 1,000 pounds. Rescue workers also had to remove a portion of road and cut into the storm drain to get some of the manatees. Some of the manatees were visibly cut and bleeding from the pipes.

The workers worked as quickly as possible not only to alleviate the animals' suffering, but also to make sure they could complete the rescue operation. The local forecast was calling for rain and if the piping had completely filled up with water, the rescue operation would have been that much more difficult.

The city installed grating over the entryway the manatees used so that the incident could not happen again.