There was a funny incident involving a diver, a manatee, and a stolen GoPro camera. The whole thing was captured on TikTok by user @skateybrown, who loves exploring underwater. The video shows the moment when the unexpected thief, a manatee, snatched the camera while the diver was adjusting their goggles.
In the viral TikTok video, @Skateybrown explained that the diver had placed the GoPro camera down for a moment and that’s when the manatee seized the opportunity. The manatee grabbed the selfie stick of the camera with its flippers and started filming its own video.
The footage shows the manatee trying hilariously to position the GoPro camera and take a selfie. It’s quite amusing to watch. Unfortunately, the manatee didn’t succeed in taking the selfie, but many people were still excited to see the unique footage it recorded with the underwater camera.
Some viewers even commented, “This must be the first video ever recorded by a manatee.” Everyone seemed to enjoy the unexpected and playful interaction between the manatee and the camera.
However, it’s important to note that what the manatee did was not legal. @Skateybrown made sure to inform viewers that touching manatees in Florida is against the law. Manatees are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1973 and the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978.
Touching or interfering with manatees can result in penalties, such as fines up to $500 or even 60 days in jail. It’s crucial to remember that manatees are extremely sensitive creatures, and human interactions can cause them severe stress, especially the young ones. Getting too accustomed to humans can make manatees lose their natural fear of people or boats, which puts them at risk of getting hurt or killed.
To ensure the wellbeing of manatees, the guidelines published by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recommend not petting or pushing them away if they come close or touch a person. Instead, the best course of action is to stay still and calm. Eventually, the manatee will swim away on its own.