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Rare Manatee Sighting Sparks Excitement in New Jersey

9/13/2025

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Summary

Story summary

A manatee was spotted near Shark River Inlet, New Jersey, over the weekend.
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) is tracking this manatee, likely the same one seen in Cape Cod earlier this summer.
Manatees prefer warm waters and can experience cold stress below 68 degrees.
Beachgoers, including one family, observed the manatee for over an hour.
The MMSC has recorded only five manatee strandings in New Jersey since 1978 and advises maintaining a distance of 150 feet when sighting.

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Story summary

A manatee was spotted near Shark River Inlet, New Jersey, over the weekend.
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) is tracking this manatee, likely the same one seen in Cape Cod earlier this summer.
Manatees prefer warm waters and can experience cold stress below 68 degrees.
Beachgoers, including one family, observed the manatee for over an hour.
The MMSC has recorded only five manatee strandings in New Jersey since 1978 and advises maintaining a distance of 150 feet when sighting.