Manatee rescued near Texas City Dike after being spotted near refineries
TEXAS CITY, Texas (KTRK) -- It doesn't happen often, but there's been a manatee sighting near the Texas City Dike.
The large mammal was spotted in an industrial canal near the refineries.
On Friday, multiple organizations came together to rescue the manatee after a sighting was reported a few days ago. That's when the groups began trying to track it down.
It turns out that fishermen spotted a manatee near the Texas City Dike back in September, but it's unclear if this is the same one.
It took the organizations about an hour to bring the mammal in safely with a net.
While people do see manatees from time to time, it's rare to see them around here this time of year.
"Manatees are not common here in Galveston Bay. But we do see them come in summer months occasionally. If they haven't left by these winter months, and the temperature's dropping in the water, then they become cold stressed," said Heidi Whitehead with the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network.
The manatee was taken to Sea World in San Antonio for an evaluation.
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