A wayward Manatee has turned up at a fishing post at the southern tip of Texas near Port Mansfield, although the endangered sea mammals rarely venture west of Alabama.

Sightings in Texas waters have been fleeting or have involved complicated rescues of sick or injured creatures, but experts say this manatee seems healthy, even playful, as it revels in the fresh water off boat washes and sea grasses.

“The last time we have seen a manatee (or more than one) was July 2001,” said Karen Meador, of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Coastal Fisheries Division in Rockport.

“More than one was observed off Galveston, Port Aransas and in Rockport. Before that, we observed one or more manatees during late summer of 1995. What’s interesting in all three instances is that tropical activity in the eastern Gulf of Mexico was above-average. As you know, this summer’s weather could’ve easily blown this animal west of its habitat. There are no resident populations of manatees in Texas,” Meador said.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has asked the local residents to help monitor the animal.

The Port Mansfield manatee showed up earlier this month, and now appears almost daily.

It's believed to be about eight feet long and weigh between 400 and 600 pounds.

Manatees live in salt water, but seek out fresh water for drinking.

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