"Melby" the manatee is back in the wild, following his nearly two-month-long recovery after being rescued from a storm drain in Melbourne Beach.
RELATED: Manatee recovering after rescue from storm drain in Brevard County
The adolescent manatee arrived at SeaWorld Orlando underweight, at 410 pounds, in February. Upon his release into the Eau Gallie River in Melbourne on Tuesday, Melby weighed in at 515 pounds.
"We got him fattened up. We did a very good job of that," said SeaWorld Orlando Senior Staff Veterinarian Lydia Staggs.
Staggs said Melby arrived at SeaWorld "emaciated" with some wounds. Those wounds on the manatee were treated, and a small infection was cured with antibiotics.
"He was a little off; a little stiff, probably from being in the pipe and not being able to move around. But after a few days, he was moving quite well," Staggs said.
Like Melby's rescue earlier this year, Tuesday's release at Ballard Park in Melbourne was a community affair. The event drew attendees of all ages, including local government representatives and members of the Rotary Club of Melbourne Beach.
Staggs said it felt amazing, seeing the turnout. "I love how people are inspired by the manatees. I love that they care about the work that we do, and about returning them to the wild after they've been rehabilitated."
Employees of a private surveying company had been working on a stormwater survey in Melbourne Beach back in February when they found Melby stranded in the storm drain back. They alerted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission by calling the agency's Wildlife Alert Hotline, launching the multi-pronged rescue effort.
Brevard County Fire Rescue was part of the response. At Tuesday's release event, Special Ops Training Lt. Fergus Kelly said he and his fellow crew members helped shield Melby from the heavy equipment used to excavate the road and open the storm drain.
"We had to get Brevard County utility workers down there, and with heavy equipment, literally excavate the asphalt and then take the lid off the storm drain where Melby was stuck," Kelly said.
Animal care experts at SeaWorld believe Melby was likely seeking refuge from the cold when he got stuck in the storm drain, although such entrapments are not limited to winter months and have also occurred during warmer times of the year, according to FWC.
"Manatees are known to seek out freshwater sources, including flows from culverts and stormwater outfalls," Kelly Richmond, a spokeswoman for FWC's research division, wrote via email. "During colder months, discharge from these systems can sometimes be warmer than surrounding waters, which may attract manatees. They are also naturally curious and will explore available habitats."
Between 2005 and 2025, FWC documented 37 live manatee entrapment cases involving animals found in culverts, pipes or storm drains. There were also 36 culvert mortalities during the same time period.
"While these incidents are relatively uncommon, they may go undetected, and in many cases animals are not found alive. In this situation, the outcome was positive because the manatee was reported quickly, allowing responders to act," Richmond wrote.
The latest FWC data show 39 manatees have died in Florida this year due to cold stress. That's more than twice the average number for the same time period: from January 1 to March 27. The five-year average for that time period is 15 cold-stress deaths.
As seasonal temperatures start to rise, manatees are beginning to leave their winter refuges. FWC encourages anyone who sees an injured or distressed manatee to call the agency's Wildlife Alert Hotline, 888-404-3922.
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