Injured manatee rescued from culvert in Clearwater, wildlife officials say

Stranded manatee rescued from Florida beach

Volusia County officials helped carry a stranded manatee off the beach in Ponce Inlet.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - When a concerned citizen reported a manatee trapped in a culvert, Florida wildlife officials sprang into action.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shared photos of the rescue mission on Facebook, showing a small male manatee grounded in a culvert, a structure that channels water under a road. FWC officials said they "rallied the troops" after receiving a call about the sea cow in Clearwater, including biologists, law enforcement officers, firefighters and members of Clearwater Marine Aquarium's stranding staff.

The manatee was rescued, but did leave the incident with a large, fresh abrasion on its head, officials said. He was transported to ZooTampa at Lowry Park for evaluation.

"We hope he’s medically cleared to be released back into the wild soon!" FWC said.