Manatee Spotted In The Delaware River

By KARA SEYMOUR (Patch Staff)

A manatee was spotted in the Delaware River Tuesday evening, according to multiple reports.

The seven-foot long manatee, spotted north of Philadelphia near Crosswick Creek in Bordentown, was seen by a fisherman, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection told the Philadelphia Inquirer.

A conservation officer who was dispatched confirmed the mammal was swimming in the river near the I-295 bridge, state Fish & Wildlife officials said, according to NJ.com.

Manatees, a protected species, are mostly found in Florida but sightings have been reported during the summer in northern areas as water warms up throughout the coastline, the Inquirer reported.

As a result of the sighting, boaters in the Delaware River should be on watch for a manatee so they don’t hit it with their propeller.

(PHOTO: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection)