Manatees might be Florida’s favorite sea animals. The large sea cows are gentle giants that float and swim in most of Florida’s waterways. They co-exist with the snakes and alligators, or at least stay out of their way. When divers and snorkelers are in the water, the huge, docile, potato-shaped mammals get very curious. If divers aren’t careful, a manatee might steal their camera.
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When this manatee was caught stealing a camera, they first hugged the selfie stick. What followed was a series of hilarious close-up selfies. It appears that the manatee is attempting to boop the camera.
Manatees will get up close and personal with divers, paying no attention to personal space. The divers are in their living room, so it’s only fair. The friendly but bold manatees often steal GoPro or underwater cameras. They seem attracted to the selfie sticks many divers mount their cameras on. Although they may try, manatees are not real good at selfies.
Last year, record numbers of manatees were hanging out at Blue Spring State Park in Florida. The counts aren’t in for this year yet, but they will probably be similarly high. While manatees can touch divers and steal their cameras, divers are not supposed to touch the animals. Manatees are protected under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. The laws protect ocean mammals from capturing, hunting, killing, or harassment.
Manatee hugs are frequent as the animals can’t keep their flippers to themselves. Reciprocating is permissible, but divers and snorkelers should exercise extreme caution. You can review the Guidelines for Protecting Florida Manatees for specific information.
If you swim with manatees, keep a firm grip on your selfie stick.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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