Tennessee’s Manatee

Last August 2006, an out-of-place manatee showed up in the Hudson Valley, New York (remember Tappie?).

Then in October, one apparently swam up the Mississippi River to a harbor near Memphis, Tennessee. The Memphis manatee was found dead in December in a lake in the State of Mississippi. On January 4, 2007, the news was announced that the reason for the death of the Memphis manatee may never be known, as not enough tissue samples could be collected to discover the cause.

Perhaps the warm weather is disorienting manatees, as well as the blossoms coming out in New York City or people in shorts in Maine? Now comes along a January 2007 record of another out-of-place manatee.

On January 4, 2007, the Associated Press ran a story about a lost manatee rescued near Corpus Christi, Texas.

The wayward manatee was being taken care of at the Texas State Aquarium’s Sea Lab, after being found near a clean warmer water outflow at a Citgo refinery. Wildlife officials said that it is the first time a manatee has been captured off the coast of Texas versus them being routinely found off Mexico and Florida.

Texas wildlife authorities noted that manatees, while rare off the Texas coast, have begun being spotted during the recent decade’s warmer weather. Two to four manatee sightings a year have occurred off the Coastal Bend waters durng the past six years.

An attempt will be made to transport the Texas-found manatee to Florida, after it regains its health.