Crews rescued 19 manatees from a Satellite Beach drain pipe Monday night in an hours-long ordeal that required cutting the pipe to get them out.
Now a different kind of work begins: repairs on the broken power and cable lines and the drainage pipe that the manatees were stuck in.
After rescuers left with the manatees in the early Tuesday morning, power and construction crews arrived to make the necessary repairs.
Also done -- a grate was installed over the drain pipe Tuesday to stop more animals from entering it.
The pipe was connected to a culvert in the area of Cassia Boulevard between Thyme Street and South Patrick Drive, near Surfside Elementary School.
SeaWorld Orlando rescuers saved 19 manatees, including a calf. The manatees were all returned to a nearby pond which dumps out into the Indian River Lagoon.
"These animals have gone several football fields up into the storm drain and they continue to go up until they get stuck," said Ann Spellman, a marine biologist for Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
FWC said the sea cows likely followed one initial manatee into the pipe as they moved toward fresh water, but officials said the situation is unprecedented.
The manatees have been congregating in canals in the area lately because of the cold weather. With more rain in the forecast, FWC worried that the manatees could drown in the pipes. But, they were able to save them in time and the animals appear to be in good condition. The manatees were also marked by rescuers as they were pulled from the pipe so they can be closely monitored.
Numerous agencies, including the Satellite Beach Fire Department and Patrick Air Force Base personnel, worked with FWC and SeaWorld Orlando to rescue the manatees.