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Manatee spotted in Nags Head

Posted at 12:29 PM, Jun 19, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-19 14:54:57-04

NAGS HEAD, N.C. – A manatee was spotted in Nags Head at the Oregon Inlet Marina.

The West Indian Manatee was most likely moving north because of the warmer temperatures in the water and food, according to Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

Manatees are herbivores and prefer water that is shallow and slow-moving, such as the type seen around inlets and estuaries.

Manatees were reclassified from Endangered to Threatened in 2017 under the Endangered Species Act. Watercraft collisions, poaching and loss of habitat remain major threats to this species’ survival.