After being nursed back to health for the past five months, "Piper" the baby Manatee will be released back into the Ford Lauderdale waterways Wednesday morning.
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Technical Rescue Teams, along with teams from Florida Fish and Wildlife, rescued the 400 pound baby Manatee in early May after she got stuck below ground in a pump station along the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
Rescuers tried to give Piper a day to free herself. When that did not work, rescuers had to enlist the help of a crane to free her.
Crews said she looked "pretty banged up" after the ordeal.
Piper was taken to the Miami Seaquarium where she was successfully nursed back to health.
She will be released on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. at George English Park, located at 1101 Bayview Drive.
