The Manatee Of Manhattan

"Marine preservationists said a manatee had swam up the Hudson River past Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood and then 100 miles upstate. It was the first confirmed sighting of the mammal in New York in 10 years."

This proves one thing. Life can exist in the Hudson river.

Manatees, or sea cows are an endangered species. (link to 1010 WINS)

Nicole Mihnovets is the coordinator for the marine endangered species program run by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. She says that it's against the law to even get close to one of the massive animals, which are endangered. That, she said, ``could be considered harassment.''

The official did not clarify if a male manatee, or a sea bull, can go near this lovely but lonely sea cow.

Manatees mostly live in Florida waters and are rarely seen off the Carolinas. Nicole Adimey, a biologist at U.S. Fish and Wildlife in Florida said the manatee seems healthy and the government will not make any attempt to capture it unless it stays in New York till fall, when the Hudson would be too cold for it to survive.

(From Reuters)

Let's hope this beautiful creature makes it back to warmer waters by fall.