Cape Manatee Dead
8/3/18
A wandering manatee, which made the waters of Cape Cod his temporary home in 2009, has died.
Named Ilya, the manatee had arrived at the Cape after a long journey from Florida and as the water began to cool in the fall that year there was concern for the survival of the animal.
Multiple organizations, agencies and individuals coordinated an emergency rescue to treat Ilya for cold stress and fly him back to warmer waters.
“Save the Manatee Club” announced Thursday that Ilya was hit by a boat in the Florida keys and suffered fatal injuries.
In 2016 another manatee, dubbed Washburn, was hanging out in Cape waters that summer and also had to be rescued and returned to Florida in the Fall.