Manatee seen in R.I. waters for first time since 2016

Those at Quonochontaug Pond in Rhode Island were treated to an extremely rare sight over the weekend: a manatee swimming in New England waters. 

The sighting was reported by the state’s Department of Environmental Management in a social media post. Officials said the animal was being monitored by researchers from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Mystic Aquarium. If members of the public spot the gentle giant they can contact the aquarium’s animal rescue hotline at 860-572-5955, ext. 107.

Often called sea cows, these aquatic mammals prefer brackish and freshwater areas along the coast. Quonochontaug Pond is a saltwater pond in Charlestown, Rhode Island. Popular for fishing and boating, the pond is directly connected to the ocean. 

This particular manatee is likely very far from home. The creatures are commonly found on the coastlines of Florida, Mexico, South America, and a handful of Caribbean islands. There is estimated to be at least 13,000 manatees in the world, and they are protected under the Endangered Species Act. More than 6,500 are in the southeastern United States and Puerto Rico, according to FWS. 

The manatee spotted in Rhode Island was looking “a little thin,” a spokesperson for DEM told the Globe Sunday. It was observed to be about eight feet long. Manatees can weigh more than 3,000 pounds and can reach 14 feet in length. 

Manatees are closely related to elephants, and they feed on vegetation in shallow coastal waters. They expand their range in the summer, sometimes traveling hundreds of miles but sticking close to shore in warmer waters. The manatee spotted in Rhode Island likely traveled a thousand miles or so to reach New England, the DEM spokesperson told the Globe. 

The last time a manatee was seen in New England was 2016, when one was found off the coast of Cape Cod. The animal was periodically spotted for about a month, before it was rescued and brought to the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut for rehabilitation. Rescuers were forced to act because of cooling water temperatures. 

Teams with the International Fund for Animal Welfare, which normally help marine mammals like seals and whales in New England, realized that the manatee was pregnant after capturing her. She was eventually flown back down to Florida and released. 

In 2008, a manatee actually made its way into Cape Cod Bay. It could not find its way back south, so rescuers captured the animal and attempted to drive it back down to Florida. It did not survive, according to the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program.

While manatees can live as long as 60 years, only about half of the wild manatees that reach adulthood will survive into their twenties, according to Florida officials. Since they are slow-moving animals that prefer shallower waters, manatees are particularly susceptible to vessel strikes. Rhode Island officials told members of the public to keep a safe distance from this manatee. Boaters should stay 150 feet away and maintain a no-wake speed until the coast is clear. 

Officials are hoping to monitor the manatee and make sure it turns around to head south before waters get too cold in New England. If it doesn’t, another rescue attempt could be in order.