A beloved manatee that made headlines after traveling as far north from South Florida as the Massachusetts coast is dead.
The Save the Manatee Club says on Facebook that Ilya passed away recently after he was struck by a boat in the Florida Keys.
In 2009, Ilya was spotted off Cape Cod and again later in New Jersey.
With temperatures dropping, the sea cow was rescued and treated for cold stress before being flown back to warmer waters.
The group says Ilya was spotted in the South Florida region several times after that.
The Facebook message says his adventurous spirit will be missed by many.