When I was in elementary school, our science teacher spent time teaching us about endangered species. We spent a lot of time learning about manatees, and one of the activities we did was “adopt” one that lived in Florida. I remember his name being Boomer.

For a bunch of kids growing up in the North, it seemed like a mystical yet gentle creature that we’d only be able to see up close if we traveled to a special place. Now that I’m a grownup, I still have a huge amount of respect for manatees.

Jump down to the video below which was shot by Maria McCormick last year. That’s her husband Scott standing at the very edge of their boat, holding a bucket. It’s a short clip – a few seconds – but watch what happens as he tosses what’s in the bucket into the water.

To some, it may look like a congregation of alligators, but the size of the splashes tell a different story. Manatees! They are known to hang out in rivers like this one where they can eat, chill, and relax. When the weather’s warm, you can find them in shallow waters.

The couple filmed this now viral video in Volusia County, Florida which is home to a number of manatees and a conservation group called Manatee Watch. This is an area that has seen high amounts of boat accidents with the “sea cows” and where people encounter them fairly frequently.

Now, this may look like some good-natured, well-meaning fun, but after McCormick posted the video on Facebook, he got thousands of angry comments in return. Humans like to interact with animals, but this time it raised quite a ruckus.

Signs are posted in the area at St. Johns River urging visitors to be friendly towards the manatees, otherwise penalties could be incurred. As a result of the widely-circulated footage, McCormick wound up under investigation by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.

State laws protect the animals and violators could face second-degree misdemeanor charges for harassing threatened or protected species. Conviction includes a $500 fine and up to 60 days in jail.

But manatees are also under federal protection, and those penalties are stiffer: a $50,000 fine and up to a year in prison. Locals were concerned that McCormick was disturbing the animals during mating season, possibly causing them distress.

One even commented that he’d never seen them behave that way. Those of you who are semi-experts in manatees, watch the video below and let us know what you think. Though McCormick had his detractors, some people think him getting in trouble with the law is excessive.

They are some cool animals – as evidenced by their t-shirts in the Geico commercial – but we don’t know if they were thrilled or startled by the motion in the water. One thing we do know is that no more videos like this have been posted.

Are you a lover of manatees? Do you think McCormick should be in trouble for his actions? Your thoughts on close encounters with manatees?

Source:

WSVN