Florida manatees, a subspecies of the West Indian Manatee and the type of manatee found in the United States, generally ranges from Virginia south to Florida and from Florida west to Texas. Increasingly, manatees are appearing further north, at least for a time. Learn about some of these unusual manatees and reasons they head so far north.
1. Ilya, a Manatee Rescued From New Jersey
Courtesy Jim Reid, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Scientists have monitored Ilya, a 10-foot long male manatee, for the last 10 years and watched him migrate as far north as Massachusetts. Ilya can be distinguished from other manatees by scarring on his side and the fact that half his tail is missing. In October 2009, Ilya was seen regularly off the New Jersey coast, causing speculation that he might freeze to death as the water dipped below 65 degrees. When he was rescued, Ilya was near the outfall pipe of a refinery, where the water was a chilly 53 degrees.
Rescuers herded Ilya to a nearby creek, where they lifted him into a stretcher. He was transported to the Miami Seaquarium in Florida where he is currently recovering and may eventually be returned to the wild. More About Ilya
2. Dennis, a Manatee Rescued From Massachusetts
A 9-foot long male manatee nicknamed "Dennis" caused a stir in September 2008 when he was spotted regularly in Massachusetts. Dennis was believed to be less than 10 years old. When it lingered in the cold New England waters, a rescue attempt was organized by the International Fund for Animal Welfare. The plan was to capture the manatee, load it into a moving truck and bring it down to Sea World in Florida, where it would be rehabilitated and hopefully released. The manatee died just before the end of its journey. A necropsy revealed that Dennis died of cold stress. Read More About Dennis the Manatee
.3. Why Are Manatees Moving So Far North?
Nobody knows why manatees are moving so far north, but one theory is that there are so many of them that they are expanding their range and moving farther to look for food and/or a mate. Even though the frequency of these sightings seem to be increasing over the past few years, you're much more likely to see these animals in more southern locations.
4. What Should I Do If I See a Manatee In a Strange Place?
According to the Save the Manatee Club, if you see a manatee in non-native waters (e.g., north of Virginia or so), report sightings to your local wildlife officials, or e-mail Save the Manatee Club at education@savethemanatee.org or call them at 1-800-432-JOIN (5646). They encourage you to take photos, which may help them identify the individual manatee.
