r/ocean • u/RusticFern6819 • 1d ago

Marine Animal Magic Giving a Thirsty Manatee Fresh Water šŸ˜‚šŸ‹

1.6k Upvotes

94% Upvoted

61 comments sorted by

206

u/Kiki1701 1d ago edited 16h ago

This isnā€™t Ireland. (Edit: you can hear them using American accents)

This is probably Florida, and giving a manatee water is specifically prohibited by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and can constitute illegal harassment under state law. These animals are also protected under federal law.

Manatees do need access to fresh water, but that doesnā€™t mean humans should be supplying it. They naturally find water sources in their habitat, and they have physiological mechanisms to regulate their water and electrolyte balance. Research has shown that manatees frequently drink fresh water, so this isnā€™t a question of whether water matters. Itā€™s about letting them obtain it naturally rather than habituating them to people.

And in winter, Florida manatees congregate around warm-water springs and other thermal refuges primarily to survive the cold, not simply to find fresh water.

Their intentions may be good, but feeding or giving water to wild manatees can alter their natural behavior and increase their vulnerability to human-related dangers, particularly boat strikes. Please leave wildlife alone and allow their care to come from the people qualified and authorized to provide it.

Edit: the arrogance of some humans really aggravates me.

49

u/C2thaLo 1d ago

This needs to be above the stupid picture. These creatures are slow and incredibly friendly. The effort to keep them from going extinct has been long. They do not need help finding water or food. That is simply all they do all day long 24/7.

7

u/stickbugszz 23h ago

I agree that people should NEVER do this. I do think it is important to say that conservation efforts for manatees are nowhere near over. Part of why they approach boats is because we are destroying their habitat. Freshwater sources are becoming more polluted and algae-filled (decline in oxygen). Manatees in Florida have been on the decline for a years at this point because we also block their thermal refuges. There is not nearly enough effort towards maintaining freshwater habitats for manatees. Manatees are having issues finding proper water, thatā€™s a fact.

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u/Kiki1701 16h ago edited 16h ago

Plus, they usually have some scarring and it's rare to see one without at least a few straight lines on their backs, even this beautiful creature has a few at the base of its back above the tail.

2

u/Kiki1701 1d ago

Posts can be pinned, but I think the op has to do it.

5

u/frogminute 1d ago

Isn't it only the mods that can do that?

P.s. I'm 80% sure OP is a bot

2

u/the_real_zombie_woof 15h ago

Can bots pin their posts? Do they dream about it? Btw, I agree with Kiki1701. Really infuriating to watch this and the lame anthropomorphizing text scroll.

1

u/Not-An-FBI 1d ago

I don't think mods can pin other people's comments.

13

u/newaccount721 1d ago

I saw this happen somewhere on their migration path in NC. A manatee literally swam almost onto shore and people brought it bottled water and cops came and were like stop doing this ā€” this is why they keep making these pitstops at crowded beaches and it is not a good habit for themĀ 

0

u/Kiki1701 16h ago

Because it was already habituated to people because of idiots like this. So sad.

3

u/moosemuffin12 19h ago

Where/how the heck do they find fresh water? Genuinely curious

2

u/Tenshiijin 16h ago

Rivers bleeding into the ocean. I wonder if rain is another way they could get fresh water.

2

u/Kiki1701 16h ago edited 16h ago

They live in salt and fresh water. They have access to both at any time of the year. They know where to find it. The natural warm water springs they congregate at during the winter months are fresh.

No one should give you shit about asking an honest question. There is no such things -as- a stupid question when asked in an honest search of knowledge (of course, the amount of downvoting on reddit is no indication šŸ™„)

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u/OnYourHonor 1d ago

Commenting to draw additional attention to the initial comment.

https://giphy.com/gifs/ftdF4ZkueWGHBYc4b5

141

u/CreativeGain777 1d ago

My country would probably issue fine for this. In fact, just touching sea turtles alone will cost you around USD 10K in fine.

22

u/Weary-Astronaut1335 16h ago

It is a felony offense to interact with manatees in any way other than watching them.

12

u/Check_Me_Out-Boss 22h ago

They'd normally be fined here as well once caught.

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u/Putrid_Afternoon_282 1d ago

Wish theyā€™d do that here in USA but trump doesnā€™t give a fk abt wildlifeā€¦just look at legislation he signed this week alone: many many endangered species lost that classification and thus protection..rare endangered species that depend on humanity to be allowed the space and time to recover and produce..sadly are left stripped of all funding.

34

u/kumosame 1d ago edited 15h ago

It is indeed illegal to touch/feed/harass etc seals/sea lions, turtles, manatees and more across the US still. This relates to MMPA

In no way am I supporting that freak. As a marine biologist all of this shit is just so disheartening and terrifying. But, we also need to remain informed about what's true and what's not. While he is actively trying to remove a lot of protections, these ones still exist.

edit: spelling

16

u/UncleBenji 22h ago

Trump doesnā€™t dictate this btw. If Florida Fish and Game wants to pursue charges they couldā€¦ or wherever this took place.

3

u/Putrid_Afternoon_282 18h ago

I was referring to the red wolves, several others this week..I would love to be a marine biologist it was my career choice, but life happened, so now Iā€™m a nurse-best wishes

4

u/noideawhatoput2 19h ago

Itā€™s already illegal to feed or give manatees water

3

u/jony7620 20h ago

Actually itā€™s illegal , not sure what ur obsession with Trump has to do with it .

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u/Putrid_Afternoon_282 17h ago

I know that. My wording was off-I referring to legislation signed last week stripping red wolves of protection

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u/TrekkingAround10 22h ago

You think Trump decides whether or not to fine people for giving freshwater to manatees? What in the fuck are you saying? You have been completely consumed by media.

6

u/Putrid_Afternoon_282 17h ago

Of course not. God.

-6

u/ThisThingIsStuck 1d ago

Shup pusi Obama was slaughtering horses you didnt say sht..President Obama last month quietly signed into law a spending bill that restores the American horse-slaughter industry, just a few months after a government investigation said the ban on slaughtering was backfiring

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u/Loud-Tomorrow1259 22h ago

What are you talking about?!?

-5

u/ThisThingIsStuck 18h ago

Exactly pusi

3

u/TheRussianAfghan27 22h ago

Ok and currently Trump is making it worse. People want to excuse trumps behavior by bringing someone that isnā€™t in office anymore up.

Itā€™s giving the kid who gets caught and says yeh I did that but 2 years ago Johnny over there hit a kidā€¦.like that was 2 yrs ago we talking about the now

5

u/DangledThenWrangled 21h ago

Lol right?

Like republicans and conservatives are literally saying "you cant arrest my president child rapist because there's democrats in the epstein files too".

WhileĀ  every normal person is like "arrest them all".

-3

u/CeemoreButtz 20h ago

"literally"

fukin dork.

0

u/DangledThenWrangled 11h ago

Lol, fuckin child rape supporters.

šŸ˜† šŸ¤£ šŸ˜‚ šŸ¤”Ā 

Someone's triggered by the epstein files.

šŸ˜† šŸ¤£ šŸ˜‚ šŸ¤”Ā 

-5

u/ThisThingIsStuck 18h ago

Source shup pusi...we saw gates and Clinton...your president who sondomized a young woman in the white house w a cigar..yet you are still using Microsoft products and paying the Clinton's millions to speak at democrat run colleges..bye Felicia...pusi

1

u/DangledThenWrangled 11h ago

Lol right?

Like republicans and conservatives are literally saying "you cant arrest my president child rapist because there's democrats in the epstein files too".

WhileĀ  every normal person is like "arrest them all".

1

u/ThrustTrust 21h ago

They have been killing those horses for decades to control the population. Some get sold off some get adopted. Some get slaughtered.

-4

u/ThisThingIsStuck 18h ago

Nasa is dumping space junk in the ocean for decades are you protesting out front....shup pusi

3

u/ThrustTrust 15h ago

What are you attacking me for. I didnā€™t argue with you. And what does nasa have to do with anything. I donā€™t condone their actions. You are mad at someone but it isnā€™t me.

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u/[deleted] 20h ago

[removed] ā€” view removed comment

-5

u/[deleted] 19h ago

[deleted]

1

u/only_respond_in_puns 23h ago

Thatā€™s not a turtle Mr America. šŸ˜‚

4

u/fractalsurfacee 21h ago

This is a turtle without a shellĀ 

56

u/laserofdooom 1d ago

1

u/A_million_typos 1d ago

Haha I play animal crossing and laugh out loud at this!

4

u/TurduckenEverest 13h ago

Generally, manatees take advantage of every freshwater source. River mouths, which stream drinkable water into marine and estuarine environments, are important underwater oases for these gentle giants. Rainwater is another source of hydration. Thanks to the buoyancy of saltwater, fresh rain collects on the surface. Manatees then swoop up and vacuum it in. Sometimes they don't wait for the rain to end. Instead, they float belly-up and open wide.
These freshwater pockets support manatees by allowing them to remain in marine and estuarine environments without having to spend time and energy migrating back to fresh water.
But neither river mouths nor wet seasons are fully reliable sources of hydration. So, they graze aquatic plants, some of which are highly concentrated with water or salt. And manatees are intuitive about what they consume. Studies have shown they actually avoid salty greens when already dehydrated-similar to how thirsty humans may go for fruit over chips. They instead snack on water-concentrated vegetation, also hydrating through it.

So technically manatees need fresh water, but they donā€™t need you.

3

u/r_anemoia 1d ago

Water water everywhere..not a drop to drink.

2

u/nazgulonbicycle 23h ago

Water Water Everywhere , And All the Boards did shrink

1

u/zestyclose_match1966 21h ago

Oh the hu manatee

1

u/DontCallMeShoeless 19h ago

Family guy writers are back at it again

1

u/firesoups 9h ago

This is super illegal. That said, growing up on the Indian river, weā€™d stick a hose in occasionally to attract the manatees. It was really cool.

-4

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[deleted]

1

u/nickyler 18h ago

Dude delete this. They will come for you.

-7

u/Vicious_and_Vain 1d ago

Heā€™s got a boner

-11

u/ThisThingIsStuck 1d ago

Who cares its rosi O'Donnell in the water

3

u/Odd_Addition_256 17h ago

Do you get a hardon from mocking elderly women?