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Federal authorities are investigating the discovery of a manatee in Florida with the word “TRUMP” scrawled on its back.
A spokesperson for the US Fish and Wildlife Service told BuzzFeed News that the mammal did not appear to be “seriously injured,” saying the word was clearly etched in the algae above its skin.
An underwater video shared with Fox 35 News in Orlando by boat captain Hailey Warrington showed the markings on the manatee as it crossed the Homosassa River.
Wildlife officials are looking for the person who scratched the word “TRUMP” on the back of a manatee in the Homosassa River in north Florida. STORY: https://t.co/uZnvQ94V3V 🎥: Hailey Warrington
@ fox35orlando / Twitter / Via Twitter: @ fox35orlando
Warrington told the local TV station she spotted the manatee, whom she recognized as a regular in the area, as she led a tour on Sunday.
“It was an unusual thing for us to see,” she said, adding that while he didn’t appear to have been injured, “it looked like the animal was very upset.”
Manatees, which are protected under the Endangered Species Act, are slow-evolving herbivores with no natural predators. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, humans regularly pose a danger to mammals, especially during collisions with boats.
The center is offering a reward of $ 5,000 for information leading to an arrest.
“Manatees are not billboards, and people shouldn’t play with these sensitive and endangered animals for any reason,” said Jaclyn Lopez, Florida director at the center. “No matter how this political graffiti has been put on this manatee, it is a crime to interfere with these creatures, which are protected by multiple federal laws.
Harming or harassing a manatee is a federal offense punishable by up to one year in prison and a fine of $ 50,000.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Crime Hotline at 1-844-397-8477 or email [email protected].
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