DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (WESH/WFLA) – A manatee and her calf became stuck in a small cove behind a marina in Daytona Beach after seeking shelter there during Hurricane Dorian last week.
The Daytona Beach News-Journal reports the mother and her baby started looking for safe harbor when water levels rose due to storm surge and high tide.
Now that the water is back down, the pair is stuck behind a metal wall used for sediment retention.
Area residents told the newspaper the mother has been trying to get back over the wall during high tide, but hasn’t had any success.
“She just fell in the water after trying too hard,” Lynn said. “That baby was right next to her.”
Wildlife officers said it appears the animals have been there since at least last Thursday.
“We are aware of the situation and are actively trying to find a solution,” city spokeswoman Susan Cerbone told the News-Journal. “It was our hope the water level would raise enough during high tide where the manatees could swim to the open water on their own. City engineers are currently reviewing plans of the basin’s weir system to see if part of it can be removed.”
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