Adventurous Florida Manatee Blazing Trails in Brick, New Jersey!
Photo Courtesy of (Credit: Beaton’s Boatyard/Facebook)
My Florida manatee buddy is becoming quite the celebrity! He was spotted again and this time, in Brick, New Jersey! The manatee was exploring the summer-warmed waters of Brick, NJ right near Beaton’s Boatyard. The fine staff at the boatyard quickly contacted the Marine Mammal Stranding Center and reported his latest location.
It’s now September and it’s extremely important to keep tabs on his locations because as the weather in the northeast begins to cool down, this manatee needs to be heading back home to Florida. Why? Because manatees are herbivores and we actually have very little body fat on us. In addition to that, our metabolic rate is much lower compared to other marine mammals.
So it’s critically important that us warm-blooded plant eaters swim in water temperatures above 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Right now in September, the New Jersey water temperatures are in the balmy mid to upper seventies. Absolutely perfect for manatee adventures! However, by October these same waters will be in the upper 50s to low 60s, which are life-threatening to manatees!
It’s important to keep watch for manatees as we adventure far from our Florida home in the summer. So far this summer, New Jersey had two manatee sightings. One report was from Great Bay and the other sighting was in a lagoon located in Point Pleasant.
Manatees are endangered and are protected under federal law by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 and by the Endangered Species Act of 1973. This makes it illegal to harass, hunt, capture or kill any marine mammal.
If you see any manatees in the New Jersey/New York or Pennsylvania area, please call the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine, New Jersey at: (609) 266-0538.
If you are in Florida and you see a sick or injured manatee, please call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at: 1-888-404-FWCC. They are the folks who are responsible for rescuing us in Florida.
Here’s the Save the Manatee Club link to learn more about us manatees …
Here’s a cool link for you to learn more about how we’re rescued and brought into rehabilitation …
~ Kobee Manatee
