DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP/WSVN) — A mother and baby manatee are believed to be free after they were trapped behind an underwater wall in a Florida river for the past week after seeking shelter there from Hurricane Dorian.
State wildlife officials worked to free the manatees trapped in the Halifax River in Daytona Beach on Wednesday.
Wildlife officials say the manatees likely swam into the area when storm surge and high tides raised the water level, and became stuck when the water receded.
Daytona Beach spokeswoman Susan Cerbone said engineers studied whether it was possible to move part of the wall, built to catch sediment so it doesn’t get in the river.
The Daytona Beach News Journal reports that the support piles in the metal wall are driven more than 26 feet below the riverbed’s surface.
According to Fox 35, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission crews worked to pulling up two of the wall panels and believe the manatees have since made it out safe.
The crews will return back on Thursday to monitor the area to ensure the mother and baby are no longer trapped.
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