Summer in New England is full of surprises. Over the past year, anglers from Cape Cod to Rhode Island have encountered southern fish species including tarpon, tiger sharks, and red drum. More recently, an “exotic” marine mammal (by New England standards) migrated up the coast and into Massachusetts waters. On the morning of Saturday, July 26, Stephen Petrucci of Walpole, MA, spotted a manatee lounging in a shallow salt marsh on the south side of Cape Cod.
Petrucci was on a morning stroll to the dock behind his summer home when he first noticed the sea cow, and he could barely believe his eyes. “At first, it looked like a big cloud of muck. It took my brain a minute to process before I realized ‘Holy crap, that’s a manatee,’ ” he said. Stunned and excited, he called his father and sister-in-law Marissa — who recorded the video — down to the dock to see for themselves. “I think it was feeding on the bottom, and it was close to low tide so it was very easy to spot,” Petrucci added. After admiring the manatee for about 5 or 10 minutes, it slowly swam away. Shortly after, Petrucci reported the manatee sighting to the IFAW Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline.
Manatee sightings are very rare this far north, but when water temperatures peak during the summer months, they occasionally stray from their typical range along Florida’s Atlantic and Gulf coasts. According to Florida Fish and Wildlife, manatees cannot tolerate prolonged exposure to cold water (lower than 68°F). Backwater temperatures on Cape Cod are currently hovering in the low- to mid-70s — comfortable conditions for the grazing sea cow.
As uncommon as they are, this is not the first time a manatee has found its way to Cape Cod. Prior to Petrucci’s encounter, the last confirmed manatee sightings on Cape Cod were in August and September of 2016. Dr. Joe Costa of the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program reported that the manatee, nicknamed Washburn, was spotted multiple times along the coast of Falmouth before being rescued near Washburn Island because of rapidly dropping water temperatures.
Jared Silva, a Fishery Policy Analyst with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, relayed to On The Water staff that the manatee Petrucci saw in late July is most likely a young animal that rode the Gulf Stream up the coast. Until it is located, rescued, and rehabilitated, the gentle giant is at risk of falling victim to sharks or vessel strikes.
Anyone with information on the manatee’s whereabouts and condition is encouraged to report to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) at 508-743-9548.
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