Animal Experts Rescuing Manatee From Cape Cod

FALMOUTH (CBS) – Wildlife experts rescued a manatee in East Falmouth that has been spotted several times off Cape Cod in recent weeks.

Experts from the International Fund for Animal Welfare responded to a boat ramp at Tashmoo Drive in East Falmouth on Thursday afternoon where the wayward manatee was last spotted.

The manatee was loaded into a trailer and will be transported by trailer to Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut.

"We knew we were down to the wire on our ability to catch this animal and give it the best shot possible for survival," said Katie Moore of IFAW. "Once that water temperature gets below 68, it's really going to take a turn for the worse."

After it is rehabilitated, the manatee will be flown to Florida.

"This is a warm water animal that has gone a little out of its way and found its way up to Massachusetts and hunkered down in a couple of bays here where the water is a little warmer than offshore," Moore said.

Sightings are rare off Cape Cod, but have been reported in recent years.

Manatees are usually found off the Florida coast and do not live in waters with temperatures cooler than 68 degrees. Temperatures off Cape Cod have dipped below 70 degrees.