Kategorie: News
TRUMP lettering on manatee's back.
Authorities in Florida are searching for an unknown person who carved the surname of the outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump into the skin of a manatee.
The person responsible faces a fine of about $50,000, investigator Craig Cavanna said, according to the local newspaper, the Citrus County Chronicle.
The marine mammal was spotted Sunday in the Homosassa River in Florida. However, the animal was not seriously injured, according to initial reports: "The letters were likely scratched on algae that had grown on the marine mammal's skin. Fortunately, the skin does not appear to have been deeply damaged," said an official with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the agency investigating the incident.
In a video published by the Citrus County Chronicle, the name "Trump" could be clearly seen on the back of the manatee. However, it is still unclear when the crime is believed to have occurred. What is clear, however, is that authorities have opened all investigations into animal cruelty and the public is being asked for tips.
The conservation organization Centre for Biological Diversity is offering $5,000 for information leading to the conviction of the perpetrator. "It is heartbreaking that this manatee was subjected to this heinous, criminal act," said Jaclyn Lopez, the center's director. "It is clear that whoever harmed this defenseless, gentle giant is capable of serious violence and must be arrested immediately," she added.
There are about 6,300 manatees in Florida. They normally stay in the state's warmer waters during the winter when temperatures drop.
But in recent years, their numbers are dropping rapidly. Habitat loss, algae blooms, attacks by fast-moving boats, and attacks by humans while in shallow waters are causing a sharp decline in their species.
In shallow water, manatees, which are harmless despite their size, can be touched - making the mammals easy to attack.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 637 manatees died in 2020, with 105 falling victim to humans.