Mating Manatees Spotted in Sarasota’s Big Pass (Video)

SARASOTA, FL — A pair of mating manatees spotted in Big Pass created a stir in the Sarasota area Sunday afternoon. The gentle giants were captured on video by Sarasota Police Marine Patrol Officer Maszak.

“He worked to make sure they made it through the pass and into Sarasota Bay,” the agency wrote on its Facebook page. “If you’re out on the water, please make sure to keep an eye out for them and always obey all posted manatee zones.”

Manatees are known to mate year-round, but they tend to become a little extra amorous during the spring, summer and early fall months, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Mating manatee herds can create quite a commotion in the water and may lead some people to worry they are in trouble.

“When manatees are observed in mating herds, there is a lot of splashing and slapping of their tails along with constant movement by the animals,” FWC explained in an email to Patch. “This behavior can sometimes be misconstrued by the public as the manatees being in distress.”

This, officials say, can lead to potentially dangerous interventions.

“There have been circumstances where the public has intervened with mating herds, thinking they are doing the right thing,” FWC said. “However, we caution people to stay clear of mating herds for both human and animal safety.”

Manatees can weigh upwards of 1,000 pounds, which means that during mating, people who get in their way could be inadvertently injured by manatees who are simply “moving around or slapping their tails.”

Concerns about people interfering with mating manatee herds run so high this time of year, FWC even took to Facebook to issue a warning.

“If you see a herd of manatees splashing and seeming quarrelsome at the surface of the water, give them space and please do not disturb,” the agency wrote. “This is common mating behavior among male manatees pursuing a female.”

The folks at the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium advise boaters and beachgoers to give “mating herds a wide space both for your own safety and the safety of the manatees,” the Sarasota Police Department noted.

To find out more about Florida’s native manatee population, visit FWC online.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission/Video courtesy of the Sarasota Police Department