Manatee spotted in Outer Banks

NAGS HEAD, NC (WWAY/WTVD) — A West Indian manatee was spotted in the Oregon Inlet Marina last Saturday.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore tweeted out an image Tuesday and explained the manatee may have been moving north following warm water and looking for food.

A West Indian Manatee was spotted in the Oregon Inlet Marina last Saturday. It was a rare treat! Manatees were reclassified from Endangered to Threatened in 2017 under the Endangered Species Act. If you see a manatee, call 252-216-6892. pic.twitter.com/Jkm9mcYdcP

— Cape Hatteras National Seashore (@CapeHatterasNPS) June 19, 2018

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.

If you see a manatee, Cape Hatteras National Seashore says to call 252-216-6892.