Manatee spotted in North Myrtle Beach. What should you know about iconic sea creature?
James Major was in North Myrtle Beach’s Cherry Grove area last weekend weekend when one of the ocean’s most lovable creatures made a rare appearance in front of him.
A slow-moving manatee popped its head out of the water between 61st and 62nd Ave N. on Oct. 22, giving Major just enough time to shoot a few seconds of video on his phone.
“He just kept going underwater and then coming back up for air,” Major told The Sun News Tuesday. “He was doing that for hours, and somebody else told me they had seen him out there a few days before. He was real sluggish I think from the water being so cold.”
Major said he contacted the state Department of Natural Resources to report the sighting. Officials at the agency didn’t immediately respond a Sun News inquiry about the animal’s status.
With their hangdog faces and large flippers, manatees are some of the sea’s most distinctive occupants. Reports of their presence along the South Carolina coast stretch back to as early as 1850, usually between May-November, when the gentle giants leave for warmer water.
Scientists estimate there are roughly 6,600 manatees living in the U.S., but it’s nearly impossible to know how many are in South Carolina at a given time.
Nearly 900 were reported to state wildlife officials between 1996 and 2003, according to the agency.
“Unfortunately, in our productive but murky, coastal waters, we don’t see much more than the head of a manatee,” S.C. DNR states on its website. “This is further complicated by the fact that in our marine environment, manatees support an extensive growth of organisms on their backs, which obscures the propeller scars that are so frequently used to identify individuals.”
S.C. DNR offers several tips on how to be friendly to manatees. Anyone caught hunting, harassing, capturing or killing the federally protected species is subject to a $50,000 fine and a year in prison.
Dock owners should never feed manatees or give them fresh water. This could teach the animals to approach docks, putting them at greater risk of a boat strike, and it is illegal.
Never pursue, harass or play with manatees. It is bad for the manatees and is illegal.
Boaters should look around for manatees before cranking your boat’s motor and watch for large swirls in the water, or “footprints,” that may be caused by manatees diving away from the boat.
Heed “slow speed,” “no wake” and manatee warning signs, especially around docks. Use caution when navigating in shallow water and along the edge of a marsh. Manatees cannot dive away from boats in these areas.
Wear polarized sunglasses to reduce glare, making it easier to spot manatees below the surface.
