Snooty the manatee turns 60 this weekend. Born in captivity in 1948, he is thought to be one of the oldest known West Indian Manatees in the world. He lives just up the street from me, in the 60,000 gallon South Florida Museum Parker Manatee Aquarium.
Manatees and their relatives, the dugongs, are in the family Sirenia, which in turn is a distant relative of the elephants. In addition to sharing the characteristic of longevity, manatees and elephants are some of the largest and heaviest vertebrates. Snooty weighs in at nearly 1300 pounds and is over 9 feet long.
To celebrate, keepers gave Snooty a treat of pineapples and strawberries.
- South Florida Museum Parker Manatee Aquarium
- A manatee milestone: Snooty turning 60
- Manatee Brains: the first complete sectioning of whole brains of the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus laterostris).
Jason Robertshaw
Happy Birthday, Snooty! Snooty has a special place in my heart and has made me smile many times over the years.
Happy Belated Birthday, Snooty!! (We have the same birthday!!)