Oct 11, 2008 3:43 pm US/Eastern
Manatee Headed To Fla. After Cape Rescue
DENNIS (WBZ) ―
A wayward manatee is headed south after
being pulled from frigid waters off Cape Cod in an early morning rescue.
The juvenile male manatee wandered into Sesuit Harbor in Dennis this week. Wildlife officials decided to pull him out Saturday amid concerns about his health in the frigid Cape waters.
Manatees are normally found off Florida and Georgia and stop feeding if they get too cold.
Four experts from Sea World flew up from Florida to lead the rescue. With the help of International Fund for Animal Welfare officials, crews used boats to trap the animal in a net and hoisted him onto a barge. He was then moved by forklift to a truck as dozens of onlookers clapped.
Workers will keep the manatee wet during the 20-hour drive to Sea World in Florida.
Once he's rehabilitated there, he'll be released into the wild.
Officials had said they would name the manatee either "Denise" or "Dennis" depending on its gender. Once experts determined it was a male, they named him Dennis.
Sea World officials said Dennis appears to be suffering from mild cold stress, but they said once he is placed in warm waters and fed he should recover. Officials said he appears to be in good shape with "no signs of large trauma."
Manatee are normally found in waters of 76 to 78 degrees. Waters in the Cape are currently around 64 degrees.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
