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Humans failed Snooty for 69 years

FILE: Maverick the Manatee from State College of Florida and Ruben the Reading Lion from The Ringling Museum join Marilyn Margold, former aquarium director, as she feeds Snooty after auditions for the new Snooty mascot.
FILE: Maverick the Manatee from State College of Florida and Ruben the Reading Lion from The Ringling Museum join Marilyn Margold, former aquarium director, as she feeds Snooty after auditions for the new Snooty mascot. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com

Regarding: “Remembering Snooty” gallery will serve the museum well. This writer states that it would be great for the South Florida Museum to adopt another manatee if one should happen to be born in captivity and be taught to interact with people like Snooty did. Luckily this is now illegal!

Humans failed Snooty beginning in 1948 when his mother was captured while swimming freely as she was born to do. Humans failed Snooty again when he was stolen from his mother. And humans failed Snooty for the final time when the museum’s negligence or complacency (or both) allowed him to drown to death. Museum employees must be held accountable for Snooty’s death. He deserves at least that.

Denise Anderson

Sarasota

This story was originally published September 1, 2017 at 2:30 PM with the headline "Humans failed Snooty for 69 years."

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