Florida Manatee Visits Chesapeake
- by Brandon Fuller on Tuesday, July 21, 2009
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Tired of tourists taking over our beloved region all summer long? Get used to it, DC is the place to be. Even the manatees can’t stay away.
A manatee was spotted in the upper Chesapeake Bay near Havre de Grace. The manatee was identified by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Florida crew using scars on its tail. The manatee is a male named Ilya.
The National Aquarium in Baltimore and the Coast Guard are warning boaters in this region of the Bay to be mindful of our visitor by driving carefully and slowly through shallow waters. If you are lucky enough to see Ilya, don’t attempt to approach him in your boat, just enjoy from a distance.
The last time a manatee was known to visit the Chesapeake was in the 1990’s when Chessie somehow ended up in our area. Chessie had to be taken by helicopter back to Florida to ensure he made it home before the weather turned cool.
Photo Credit: Officer Marcus Rodriguez
Sphere: Related ContentAbout the Author
Brandon Fuller has written 178 stories on this site.
Brandon Fuller works at the intersection of environmental policy and communications. Currently, he publishes a blog on environmental issues and green living that has been featured in the Washington Post Express, Washingtonian.com, GreenPlanet.com and more. He is also a member of the advisory committee for CarbonFreeDC, a grassroots initiative dedicated to mobilizing DC-area residents to dramatically reduce local carbon emissions. He recently earned a law degree in environmental law and policy and has served as both a Law Clerk and Legislative Assistant for the State of Florida.
