--- title: "Florida Sheriff Begs Public to Stop Calling About Manatee Orgies" description: "A Florida sheriff's office is apparently fed up with folks calling them about groups of manatees having group sex in public." date: "2023-08-03" modified: "2023-08-03" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/florida-sheriff-manatee-sex" categories: - "Science & Energy" tags: - "florida" - "manatee" - "mating" - "the digest" --- # Florida Sheriff Begs Public to Stop Calling About Manatee Orgies ![A Florida sheriff's office is apparently fed up with folks calling them about groups of manatees having group sex in public.]() *\Image: Stuart Westmorland via Getty Images\* ## 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." https://twitter.com/aldotcom/status/1686987781485027328 ## 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*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()