MELBOURNE, Fla. (AP) — About 40 people worked to rescue six manatees that became trapped in a Florida pond following Hurricane Irma.
Florida Today reports that the group worked Friday to rescue the sea cows and return them to a nearby creek in Melbourne.
Rene Alvarez says the animals entered the pond after Irma boosted the creek’s water levels, flooding much of his property. When the water receded, the manatees couldn’t escape.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rescue associate Bill Greer says the group pulled out a manatee calf and its mother, three adults and one juvenile. The animals were given a health exam and then returned to the creek, which connects to the Atlantic Ocean.
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