MYSTIC, Conn. (AP) — A pregnant manatee that was rescued off Cape Cod is being flown from Connecticut’s Mystic Aquarium to Florida.
The manatee, named Washburn after the island where she was rescued, is being moved Tuesday to SeaWorld in Orlando, where she will be cared for until she can be released back into the wild.
Manatees are mammals and are sometimes referred to as “sea cows.” Dale Wolbrink, a spokeswoman for Mystic Aquarium, says it is very rare to see them as far north as New England.
The 800-pound Washburn was rescued on Sept. 22, as water temperatures were dropping below 67 degrees — too cold for it to survive.
A U.S. Coast Guard plane took off Tuesday morning from Groton, Connecticut, with the manatee.
(Copyright (c) 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)