Manatees stranded in Florida pond by Hurricane Helene rescued, returned to wild | 5 Oct 2024 | Four manatees were rescued from a pond at a Florida cemetery that the animals had gotten trapped in during and after Hurricane Helene. The manatees swam into the Largo pond at the Serenity Funeral Home & Serenity Gardens Memorial Park while the area was flooded during the storm. Other manatees also got stranded due to the hurricane, with rescue efforts planned for one in Manatee County and another in the Jacksonville area, FWC spokeswoman Kelly Richmond said.