Snooty, World's Oldest Manatee, Dead At 69

BRADENTON, FL — Just two days after the world-record breaking Snooty the manatee turned 69 years old, the South Florida Museum announced the creature’s passing. The death is being called accidental by museum officials, who say he became trapped in a plumbing access area in his habitat.

“The South Florida Museum is deeply saddened to share the news that our beloved Snooty has died,” the museum posted on Facebook Sunday afternoon, breaking the news to the sea cow's fans from across the globe.

Get the Patch newsletter and alerts in your inbox.

While Snooty's death remains under investigation, the museum reported Sunday that he was found in an underwater area that is used to access plumbing for the exhibit he was housed in. The early indication is that an "access panel door that is normally bolted shut had somehow been knocked loose and that Snooty was able to swim in," the museum reported in an Sunday email.

"Our initial investigation indicates that Snooty's death was a heartbreaking accident and we're all quite devastated about his passing," Brynne Anne Besio, the museum's CEO said in a Sunday statement. "We're reviewing what happened and will be conducting a full investigation into the circumstances. Snooty was such a unique animal and he had so much personality that people couldn't help but be drawn to him. As you can imagine, I -- and our staff, volunteers and board members -- considered him a star. We all deeply mourn his passing. We are honored to have had him with us for so long and will continue his legacy through our manatee rehabilitation program."

The three manatees being rehabilitated at the museum – Baca, Gale and Randall – “are all fine,” the museum reported.

See also: Snooty Statue Petition Drive Bucks For Change

“We know that our community and Snooty fans around the world share our grief,” the post said.

Snooty turned 69 on Friday, July 21. He made Guinness World Records standing back in 2015, named the “world’s oldest-known manatee.”

The celebrity sea cow had aptly called Manatee County home since 1949 when “Baby Snoots,” as he was called at the time, arrived in Bradenton. He was a Miami native, however, born at the Miami Aquarium on July 21, 1948. Snooty became Manatee County’s official mascot in 1979.

Aside from world-record fame, Snooty was featured on the “Captain Kangaroo” television show in 1982 in a documentary on manatees.

The museum celebrated Snooty's 69th birthday on Saturday with a community party. The event has been a a fixture at the museum for years. In addition to serving as Manatee County's official mascot, Snooty served an important role in the museum's manatee rehabilitation efforts.

In addition to being Snooty’s former home, the South Florida Museum and its Parker Manatee Aquarium are part of the Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Partnership. The group, originally created by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is made up of organizations that rescue and rehabilitate manatees. Snooty's job was to act as a “mentor to sick and injured manatees," museum officials said in a previous interview.

At the time of his death, Snooty was exercising those mentoring abilities. The famous critter was sharing his habitat with Baca, Gale and Randall. The trio arrived at the museum in May to finish out their recovery before being returned to the wild.

News of Snooty's passing has saddened people across the Tampa Bay area and beyond. Many took to Twitter to express their condolences.

Photo courtesy of the South Florida Museum