A 410-pound manatee rescued from a Florida storm drain is recovering at SeaWorld Orlando

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A manatee that got stuck in a Florida storm drain while seeking warmer waters is on the mend at SeaWorld Orlando after a coordinated rescue effort.

Multiple fire rescue units and officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the University of Florida and even Jack's Wrecker Service were brought in Tuesday to get the 410-pound (186-kilogram) sea cow out of the storm drain in Melbourne Beach.

The crews convened on the scene after a worker with Melbourne Beach spotted the manatee, the city's Vice Mayor Terry Cronin told WESH-TV in Orlando.

“We’re in the process of improving the storm drain across Melbourne Beach. Our people were doing a survey. And one of the surveyors noticed a manatee in what is called a baffle box." Cronin said.

The male manatee was taken to SeaWorld Orlando, where it is being cared for in one of the park's medical pools, spokesperson Stephanie Bechara said.

“He's breathing on his own, moving independently and showing interest in food. Our teams are adjusting water levels to support buoyancy and comfort as part of his care,” Bechara said.

She said they work to stabilize and rehabilitate rescued manatees so they can ultimately be returned to the wild.

The protected species is still recovering from a mass starvation event. In 2021, officials recorded more than 1,100 manatee deaths, mostly caused by starvation. The state's fish and wildlife agency said deaths have gone down significantly, with 565 deaths recorded in 2024, and 555 deaths in 2023.

Last year, SeaWorld Orlando rescued 56 manatees and has already taken in seven this year.

This photo provided by Brevard County Fire Rescue shows members of Brevard County Fire Rescue help rescue a manatee that was stuck in a storm drain on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 in Melbourne Beach, Fla. (Brevard County Fire Rescue via AP)

This photo provided by Brevard County Fire Rescue shows members of Brevard County Fire Rescue help rescue a manatee that was stuck in a storm drain on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 in Melbourne Beach, Fla. (Brevard County Fire Rescue via AP)

This photo provided by Brevard County Fire Rescue shows members of Brevard County Fire Rescue help rescue a manatee that was stuck in a storm drain on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 in Melbourne Beach, Fla. (Brevard County Fire Rescue via AP)

This photo provided by Brevard County Fire Rescue shows members of Brevard County Fire Rescue help rescue a manatee that was stuck in a storm drain on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 in Melbourne Beach, Fla. (Brevard County Fire Rescue via AP)

McDonald’s focus on value is paying off.

The fast food giant said Wednesday that its global same-store sales — or sales at locations open at least a year — jumped 5.7% in the October-December period. That's better than the 3.9% Wall Street was expecting, according to analysts polled by FactSet.

Chicago-based McDonald's fourth quarter revenue and earnings also beat analysts' expectations.

McDonald’s cut prices on some U.S. combo meals in September. Those Extra Value Meal promotions came on top of discounts that began earlier in 2025, like the McValue menu. McDonald's popular Snack Wraps, which returned to menus in July for $2.99, also helped improve value perceptions.

McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said those changes helped McDonald's gain share among consumers with household incomes of $45,000 or less, a segment that has been drifting away from the brand.

“McDonald’s is not going to get beat on value and affordability," Kempczinski said during a conference call with investors.

The company also boosted U.S. traffic in the fourth quarter with marketing schemes, including the return of its Monopoly game in October and a Grinch-themed meal in December. Kempczinski said McDonald's sold 50 million pairs of Grinch socks with those meals in the first few days of the promotion, briefly making the company the largest seller of socks in the world.

McDonald's said its same-store sales rose 6.8% in the U.S. in the October-December period. Ian Borden, McDonald's chief financial officer, said that pace will likely slow in the January-March period, partly because severe winter weather has hurt traffic or forced some restaurants to close or limit their hours.

McDonald's focus on value and marketing has been similar in international markets. In Germany, for example, lower-priced McSmart snacks have boosted store traffic. Same-store sales in McDonald's company-operated international markets rose 5.2% in the fourth quarter; Borden also expects that pace to slow in the first quarter due to weather impacts.

“We’re really confident about what’s within our control, really confident about the underlying momentum of the business,” Borden said.

The company said it's working on new menu items for this year, including beverages inspired by its short-lived CosMc's restaurant format. McDonald's said it plans to start selling energy drinks, iced coffees and fruity refreshers under its McCafe brand sometime later this year.

McDonald's revenue rose 10% to $7.01 billion in the fourth quarter. That beat Wall Street's forecast of $6.84 billion.

Net income rose 7% to $2.16 billion. Adjusted for one-time items, including restructuring charges, McDonald's earned $3.12 per share. That also beat analysts' forecast of a $3.05 per share profit.

McDonald's shares were flat in after-hours trading.

Other chains have also been focused on their value message over the last year. Taco Bell, which expanded its value menu in January 2025, said last week that its same-store sales jumped 7% in the October-December period.

FILE - A sign for a McDonald's restaurant in Philadelphia, on Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)