A manatee was found in Florida with ‘Trump’ on her back. (Center for Biodiversity)
Manatee found in Florida with “Trump” drawn on their back, officials say
The manatee doesn’t appear to be seriously injured, officials said
State and federal wildlife officials are investigating reports of a manatee found in a Florida river with “Trump” on its back.
The aquatic mammal was spotted in Citrus County’s Homosassa River over the weekend, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed. The area is approximately 130 kilometers north of Tampa.
“West Indian manatees are essential members of the ecosystems in which they live and are protected under the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Conservation Act,” USFWS director Aurelia Skipwith said in a statement.
The manatee doesn’t appear to be seriously injured, officials said. It appears that the word was written in seaweed that grew on the animal’s back and was not scratched into its skin.
Wildlife officials seek information about the harassment of the animal. Tips can be reported at 888-404-3922. The Center for Biological Diversity, a nonprofit group that protects endangered animals, is offering a $ 5,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in the case.
Harassment of a manatee, a federal crime, is punishable by a fine of $ 50,000 and a prison term of up to a year.
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The Associated Press
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