Mole Alert: Ilya's Amazing Adventure

11/02/2009

The Odyssey of Ilya

After almost three months of meandering along the Atlantic coast, Ilya the manatee is back in Florida's warm waters. The 1100-pound sea cow with the funny notches in his tail is noted for his past migrations — he's been spotted as far north as Cape Cod. This year he lingered too long in New Jersey, even as wild weather whipped into a surprise October nor'easter. For a manatee, water temperatures above 68 degrees are treacherous, and last week, waterways around the Garden State dipped to 53. A manatee's immune and intestinal systems can shut down from hypothermia, and its skin can flake off like frostbite. But Ilya's a seasoned traveler, and instincts told him to seek the warmth. He found it in a creek near an oil refinery, where the water was about 75 degrees.

Wildlife officials and scientists, wise to Ilya's wandering ways, had lost sight of him after summer sightings in the Chesapeake and Massachusetts. By mid-October, they figured he had found his way home before the fall chill. Then Ilya surprised an oil refinery worker, who spotted him hovering in the tributary. Geared up for a rescue, wildlife officials were then delayed by a storm, and somehow Ilya slipped away. His would-be rescuers feared the worst.

But Ilya's a survivor, and when he returned to his spot of warmth last Monday, they were ready for him. Thirty rescuers spent nearly eight hours hauling Illya in a giant fishing net onto a muddy creek bed, then used a crane to lift him to a stretcher for his trip to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine, N.J.

And the best part was, the rescue was kept a secret, to prevent the media and crowds of curious well-wishers from stressing the manatee. The plan worked perfectly, as Ilya rested at the center, chowing down on a manatee favorite, lettuce — $300 worth, to be precise! — while awaiting the next leg of his journey. A Coast Guard C-130 cargo plane flew up from North Carolina to transport Ilya to Miami. Accompanied by Dr. Maya Rodriguez, a manatee expert, Ilya traveled in style to the Miami Seaquarium, where Rodriguez is a veterinarian.

Basking in the Warmth

She reports that aside from some cold stress, Illya is doing well, basking in a tankful of 80-degree water along with a newly rescued 2-year-old orphaned female manatee. For Ilya, that's probably the first friend he's seen in months. The pair touched noses, and Rodriguez said the companionship is good for Ilya, who is in good health.

Ilya appeared on Sunday's "Today Show," but was too busy enjoying more lettuce to even surface for a national audience. Rodriguez said Ilya should be cleared for release into Miami's waters within a few weeks. At age 10, Ilya could live another 50 to 80 years.

But no one is certain why Ilya took his 2,000 mile journey. Rodriguez said global warming or an increasing manatee population may be to blame. Male manatees that go exploring during the summer months are known as pioneers, as they follow females or seek new mating herds. Ilya, whose curiosity sent him so far and wide, may just be the ultimate pioneer — and in real need of his own GPS device.

Comments

[tiffany snow]

Great news about a great rescue! Love those manatees. What a smart one for choosing a cozy spot in the Garden State for a place to hang - and be saved!! nice going Mole!!

[Jerry and Kay]

What a wonderful story, and so heart-warming. The manatees are beautiful, and so peaceful. And we love people who love animals, and apparently there are plenty who care about the manatees. Great story, as usual, Mole.

[Bodum]

What a wonderful story, and so heart-warming.