"If you see this, no you didn't."
Manatease
A Florida sheriff's office is apparently fed up with folks calling them about groups of manatees going at it.
"If you see this," the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office wrote in a post that featured a video of — sorry — a gaggle of manatees humping, "no you didn't."
As the central Florida sheriff's office noted, there's no need to alert the authorities if you see a big group of manatees getting frisky in the surf, because "manatees actually mate in herds like these and often they are near the shore."
Mounds of writhing sea creatures are piling up on Florida beaches, and authorities are warning concerned beachgoers to avoid the embarrassment of calling 911.
It’s likely a herd of manatees, and they are engaging in very public group sex, experts say.https://t.co/16jxdO3fTd
— AL.com (@aldotcom) August 3, 2023
Voy-herd
Known as "mating herds," these bizarre spectacles are not only none of our business, but also, as the conservancy group Save the Mantee notes, potentially dangerous. If you must watch, the nonprofit advised, it's best to do so from afar.
"In shallower waters, the effect can be quite dramatic with churning waters and flailing flukes and flippers," the group wrote. "The activity can attract onlookers who are either curious about the commotion or concerned that the manatees in the [mating] herd are injured, stranded, or in distress."
"In fact," the group continued, "this is natural behavior and as with all encounters with wild manatees, it is important to only observe from a respectful distance."
Indeed, as the sheriff's video shows, that writhing mass of manatees is pretty freaky looking, so watching through a phone is more than enough for us.
"If you see this, there's no need to call," the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office wrote. "They are a-okay!"
More on weird animals: Chinese Zoo Denies Their Bear Is a Dude in a Bear Costume
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