2nd dead manatee washes up on Charleston-area shoreline

Sullivans Island, S.C. — Wildlife officials in South Carolina are investigating after a manatee was found washed up on the beach on Sullivans Island — the second manatee found dead in the Charleston area this week.

News outlets report that police were called shortly after 6 a.m. Thursday to where the animal also known as a sea cow had washed up.

Erin Weeks of the Department of Natural Resources says a necropsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.

On Tuesday, the carcass of a young male manatee was found near the mouth of Shem Creek on Charleston Harbor. Officials say there was no obvious sign that it had been struck by a boat.

Manatees are listed as endangered. Generally, about 50 are thought to visit South Carolina each summer.