The Rescue of “Melby”
In a serendipitous story of hope and resilience, a juvenile male manatee was rescued on Monday night in the Town of Melbourne Beach. Surveyors that were preparing to work on Riverview Lane found it when they opened the manhole cover at Riverview and Oak.
The poor little guy was trapped for several days, maybe longer! The unexpected cold snap that swept through the region brought freezing temperatures for two consecutive nights, forcing this gentle giant to search for warmer waters.
Truth and Accuracy Matter would like to recognize our NEW Town Manager, Marie Smith. It was her first day on the job and she efficiently handled the emergency rescue with professionalism. She quickly got all hands on deck. Her communications were swift and thorough as she reached out to the appropriate state and local agencies to begin the rescue mission. A special commission meeting was called to authorize emergency funding for the rescue. Vice Mayor Terry Cronin officiated the meeting because Mayor Dennington was unable to be reached. Dennington remained missing in action throughout the entire rescue mission. All other commissioners attended the emergency meeting and were on-site during the rescue.
Vice Mayor Terry Cronin’s live interview by FOX 35 Orlando was televised during the rescue. CLICK HERE to watch. The story has been picked up by other major networks across the county, and even received coverage around the world.
Commissioner Anna Butler was also interviewed during the rescue by Florida Today. This video shows the road surface being removed in order to reach the trapped manatee. CLICK HERE to watch.
Truth and Accuracy Matter reached out to Blake, the spokesperson for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC), for an update. Blake made sure to point out that while many people are referring to “Melby” as she, HE is a juvenile male manatee weighing only 410 pounds. She also let us know that while many have nicknamed him “Melby”, Seaworld will choose his official name. She informed us that he has settled into a shallow pool at Seaworld and they are treating some open wounds that are on his underside. While they admitted him in “critical” condition, she was happy to report that he is eating and doing ok now. They wil keep him until the Seaworld medical and scientific staff deem him ready to be returned to the wild.
Wouldn’t it be great to welcome him back to our lagoon with a party to celebrate his return!? WHO’S IN?
As we celebrate “Melby’s” successful rescue, it is our understanding that the Town Commission will be assessing the installation of storm drain grates to protect our precious marine life in order to prevent this from happening again. All of us at Truth and Accuracy Matter will support this initiative.
To follow “Melby’s” progress and receive News and Updates, CLICK HERE
