A manatee was killed by a boat strike earlier this month in the Bogue Sound.
Officials with the NC State University Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST) say the body of the 1,000 pound male Florida manatee was found near Gales Creek.
Investigators from several North Carolina marine agencies determined that the manatee suffered three cuts to the top of his head, and one of the slashes cut into his skull.
CMAST
Manatees frequent the waters of North Carolina from spring to fall, but later migrate back south to warmer waters during winter temperatures.
Over the past 32 years, CMAST officials say 17 manatees have been found dead in North Carolina – most of those deaths attributed to cold stress.
