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October 24, 2006
Manatee finds way To Memphis, As In Tennessee, As In 725 Miles Inland!
MEMPHIS, Tennessee (AP) -- An adventurous manatee strayed far from its usual coastal habitat to make an appearance on a Mississippi River tributary near downtown Memphis on Monday.The distance on the curvy river from near its delta in Louisiana to Memphis is more than 725 miles, according to Army Corps of Engineers charts.
"I got a call about 3 p.m. about either a hippo or a manatee in the water," said Andy Tweed, an officer with the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency. Officers from the agency and zoologists from the Memphis Zoo confirmed the sighting and observed the animal from boats.
The endangered species generally prefers warm coastal waters ranging from Alabama to South Carolina, although there were sightings this August along the East Coast up to Rhode Island.
In winter months, they usually stay in coastal waters off Florida, often congregating near the warm-water discharges of power plants.
"If he did swim from Florida, he's doing really well," Tweed said, estimating its size between eight and 10 feet, and its weight up to 1,000 pounds.
Well he's a little lost! I hope he makes it through this ok and they figure out a way to get him (or her) back to their native waters and not locked up in some aquarium somewhere!
Found via CNN News.
Posted by Dianne at October 24, 2006 9:47 AM
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