Snooty, oldest Florida manatee in captivity, dies in plumbing accident day after birthday party
Snooty the Manatee
Snooty, Florida's longest living manatee in captivity, has died one day after a huge party to celebrate his 69th birthday.
The South Florida Museum posted a Facebook message Sunday saying that the beloved manatee had died in a heartbreaking accident.
Apparently, someone had left an access panel to an underwater plumbing area unsecured. Snooty got inside that plumbing area and was killed.
Snooty had previously been in good health, eating about 80 pounds (35 kilograms) of lettuce and vegetables every day to sustain his 1,000-pound (450-kilogram) body. He loved to greet his visitors and ham it up for the cameras.
Snooty was born in Miami and has never lived in the wild.