TORONTO -- In 2009, a wayward manatee made headlines after it somehow ended up off the coasts of such unusual places as New Jersey and Cape Cod.

Ilya, as the manatee was dubbed, became the focus of a major rescue effort. Had the animal not been airlifted back to Florida, it would have surely froze to death once winter hit and the water cooled.

While Ilya's journey was an aberration, it's become less of one in the ensuing decade.

In this week's Riskin Report, CTV News Science and Technology Specialist Dan Riskin explains why American alligators, Joshua trees and other tropical species are increasingly making their way north.

Sign up here to receive The Climate Barometer, delivering climate and environmental news to your inbox every week