Featured Image Credit: littleanecdote.com
By Eva Gruver
The South Florida Museum in Bradenton will be remembering Snooty the Manatee who died in an accident earlier last month following his 69th birthday celebration. He first came to Manatee County as a 1-year-old subadult in 1949, making him 69 years old at the time of his death.
An investigation into his death deemed it an accident involving his enclosure – sadly an access panel door that remains bolted close normally, had somehow been knocked loose, and Snooty was able to swim in and possibly not swim out. Staffers at the Bradenton museum are devastated at the loss, and that the three other manatees undergoing rehabilitation in the same habitat as Snooty are all fine.
Snooty had previously been in good health, weighing in around 1,000 pounds and eating about 80 pounds of lettuce and other vegetables every day. On Saturday he enjoyed a tiered cake made of fruit and vegetables, attended by thousands of guests at his 69th birthday.
Carrying the distinction of the oldest manatee in captivity, he was also the first manatee born into captivity, having been born in 1948 at the Miami Aquarium and Tackle Company. He moved to the Bradenton museum in 1949, and interacted with over a million visitors in his lifetime. Fans were able to leave messages in his memory on a Facebook page dedicated to him.
Amusing conspiracy stories alleging that Snooty has been replaced by new, younger manatees over the years have been laughed off by museum officials. Snooty (and many other manatees) are identified by unique skin patterns including scars from boat propellers. While Snooty never was in the wild and so never was hurt by boat propellers, he did have two unique scars on his side from abscesses that were removed over 30 years ago.
Snooty played an important role in educating visitors about manatees, and cementing in them a fondness for the species and in turn, for our oceans and planet. Inspiring stewardship is one of the most honorable roles for animal ambassadors around the world, and Snooty’s death is a tragic event. Throughout his long lifetime, he also united the Manatee County community, acting as a sort of mascot for Bradenton and the county. The South Florida Museum will be celebrating his life and legacy in a public memorial on September 10th, 2017, from noon to 5 pm, at their Parker Manatee Aquarium.