Skip to main content

A 410-pound manatee rescued from a Florida storm drain is recovering at SeaWorld Orlando

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A manatee that got stuck in a Florida storm drain while seeking warmer waters is on the mend at SeaWorld Orlando after a coordinated rescue effort.

Multiple fire rescue units and officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the University of Florida and even Jack’s Wrecker Service were brought in Tuesday to get the 410-pound (186-kilogram) sea cow out of the storm drain in Melbourne Beach.

The crews convened on the scene after a worker with Melbourne Beach spotted the manatee, the city’s Vice Mayor Terry Cronin told WESH-TV in Orlando.

“We’re in the process of improving the storm drain across Melbourne Beach. Our people were doing a survey. And one of the surveyors noticed a manatee in what is called a baffle box.” Cronin said.

The male manatee was taken to SeaWorld Orlando, where it is being cared for in one of the park’s medical pools, spokesperson Stephanie Bechara said.

“He’s breathing on his own, moving independently and showing interest in food. Our teams are adjusting water levels to support buoyancy and comfort as part of his care,” Bechara said.

She said they work to stabilize and rehabilitate rescued manatees so they can ultimately be returned to the wild.

The protected species is still recovering from a mass starvation event. In 2021, officials recorded more than 1,100 manatee deaths, mostly caused by starvation. The state’s fish and wildlife agency said deaths have gone down significantly, with 565 deaths recorded in 2024, and 555 deaths in 2023.

Last year, SeaWorld Orlando rescued 56 manatees and has already taken in seven this year.

Buffalo named Donald Trump for his golden locks is a sensation at a Bangladesh zoo

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — With his shock of golden hair and trim 700-kilogram (1,500-pound) build, Donald Trump has been drawing crowds from across Bangladesh since he arrived at the national zoo last week. The rare albino buffalo became a sensation when a farmer noticed that his blond tuft of hair resembled the distinctive locks of the U.S. president. After a video of the pale horned mammal went viral on social media, large numbers of people started showing up at the farm outside Dhaka to see him for themselves. The animal was originally meant to be slaughtered for the Muslim festival of sacrifice. But citing security concerns, the government ordered him transferred to the zoo in the capital, where large crowds are now braving sweltering heat to see him. On Tuesday, visitors pressed against the fence of the buffalo's enclosure, filming with their phones as some fathers hoisted small children on their shoulders for a better view.
Read Next Story

Related Stories

Canadian government endorses a plan to move whales from shuttered Marineland park to US and Spain

Chinese meat traders roll out Brazil’s first deforestation-free beef certification

Patients find help with therapy donkeys at psychiatric hospital near Paris