If you don’t already believe manatees are the cutest marine creatures, this friendly sea cow might convince you.
Two friends paddleboarding in Jupiter were visited by manatees last week—one of which clearly just wanted to join the party.
In the video, one of the manatees latches onto Palm Beach County native Celine Chasteen’s board. The cuddly-looking sea cow rolls over to float on its back and holds on to her paddleboard with its flippers.
Chasteen told animal blog The Dodo that, at first, she thought they were rocks, but then the manatees started moving.
“The next thing I know, there’s a manatee putting his flippers on my board,” she said.
Manatee sightings in local waters are more common in cold weather months, when the marine mammals seek out warm water as refuge, so these ladies lucked out with their summertime sighting.
It was “the craziest thing ever,” Chasteen told WPTV.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reminds those who encounter manatees not to touch or approach the endangered species. They are protected under federal law by the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act, which makes it illegal to harass manatees.
WPTV reporter Ashleigh Walters shared the video on her Facebook page:
Facebook Comments