South Florida Museum in Bradenton blames a "heartbreaking accident" for the 69-year-old sea cow's death.

BRADENTON — Families preparing to enter the South Florida Museum on Sunday afternoon were met with tragic news.

The museum's most famous and beloved resident had passed away.

Snooty, the oldest known manatee in the world and Manatee County’s official mascot, was found dead Sunday morning. For nearly seven decades, Snooty lived in The Parker Manatee Aquarium inside the downtown Bradenton museum. He turned 69 on Friday and his annual birthday celebration at the museum took place Saturday, drawing hundreds of well-wishers.

"This is just awful, terrible, and I'm heartbroken," said Bradenton Mayor Wayne Poston, when reached by phone on Sunday. "Bradenton lost its most iconic citizen."

When aquarium staff arrived Sunday at the normal time of 8 a.m., Snooty was found dead in an underwater area only used to access plumbing for the exhibit's life support system, Jeff Rodgers, chief operating officer and provost, said during a 3 p.m. news conference outside the museum. Early indications are that an access panel door that is normally bolted shut had somehow been knocked loose and that Snooty was able to swim in but "was not able to turn himself around and get out of the situation."

The other three manatees undergoing rehabilitation in Snooty's habitat — "Randall," "Baca" and "Gale" — also apparently entered the underwater hallway, Rodgers explained, but because of their smaller size, they were able to get out. All three are fine.

While Snooty weighed about 1,500 pounds, the other three all weighed 500 to 600 pounds.

A necropsy, or animal autopsy, will be performed at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Marine Mammal Pathobiology Laboratory in St. Petersburg and is likely to reveal additional information about the animal's demise.

Snooty's habitat undergoes a daily visual inspection and there were no indications the previous day that there was anything amiss.

The aquarium will remain closed while museum staff continues its investigation and while staff who worked with Snooty have an opportunity to grieve. Rodgers said that foul play has been completely ruled out in the death of the manatee.

"Our initial investigation indicates that Snooty's death was a heartbreaking accident and we're all quite devastated about his passing," museum CEO Brynne Anne Besio said in a 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."

Ashley Berridge, the museum's community engagement manager, and her coworkers, greeted visitors with the news starting at noon when the museum opened for its regular hours Sunday.

"Snooty is in a better place now," said a young boy after being told what happened.

Mourners already were leaving mementos. One left a bouquet of flowers under a stalk of romaine lettuce — one of Snooty's favorite dishes.

While the aquarium is closed the rest of the museum at 201 10th St. W. remains open.

The long life of 'Baby Snoots'

Snooty was born on July 21, 1948, at the Miami Aquarium and Tackle Co. — the first recorded birth of a manatee in human care.

Topping the charts in summer 1948 — a leap year — was "Woody Wood-Pecker" by Kay Kyser and His Orchestra. President Harry S. Truman was issuing the second peacetime military draft amid increasing tensions with the Soviet Union. Five days after Snooty's birth, Truman signed Executive Order 9981, ending racial segregation in the United States Armed Forces. Eight days after Snooty's arrival, the Summer Olympics began in London, the first since the 1936 games.

Miami Aquarium owner Samuel Stout had received a permit from the state to keep captive a single manatee, but it turned out "Lady," as Snooty's mother was called, was pregnant. The mother, who was recovering from being hit by a motor boat, delivered a three-foot, 75-pound calf, first called "Baby."

Stout began casting about for someone to take care of the baby manatee. The city of Bradenton in Manatee County was looking for a sea cow to be part of its 1949 De Soto Heritage Festival.

Snooty moved to Bradenton that year, residing in a 3,000-gallon exhibit tank built after city officials received the proper permits to host him.

He was called "Baby Snoots," the popular story being that the name was inspired by Fanny Brice's "The Baby Snooks Show." As he aged, he came to be known simply as "Snooty."

The manatee later moved into the South Florida Museum's permanent care. The museum relocated from its home at the Bradenton Municipal Pier to its current site in 1966. Through the move, Snooty got a larger 9,000-gallon tank to live in.

In 1979, he became Manatee County's official mascot.

In 1993, the museum underwent extensive renovations, and Snooty was moved to a new 60,000-gallon tank. Further renovations five years later allowed better care for Snooty and the continued practice of allowing companion manatees to live with Snooty while while they recovered from wounds or ailments, such as exposure to cold.

The first such visitor was named "Newton," and the Parker Manatee Aquarium has since helped rehabilitate dozens of manatees.

During his lifetime, Snooty has greeted more than a million visitors.

Throughout his life, Snooty contributed much to the understanding of manatees, participating in scientific research programs designed to help understand things like manatee hearing and vocalization.

He also boosted the notion that manatees were quite smart. A study by Mote Marine Laboratory 10 years ago showed that manatees were capable of experimental tasks, much like their fellow mammals, dolphins.

Snooty had always been able to remember the voices of his keepers — much like elephants, which manatees are distantly related to — and to remember and perform behaviors that he had been taught when he was only a calf.

Snooty's captivity may have greatly prolonged his life. Many manatees in the wild live to be only 10, with some rare animals reaching 30.

The museum plans to continue rehabilitating manatees at its aquarium but officials are not sure yet about having another resident manatee.

"We're very saddened by this loss as are so many others," Rodgers said.

Condolences roll in

After the news of Snooty's death began spreading, condolences rolled in from around the community and from well beyond.

"Sad day around Manatee County as we lost Snooty, a true icon and our beloved mascot," tweeted Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells, son of long-time sheriff Charlie Wells.

"All I'm saying is that Manatee County better throw Snooty the best dang funeral a manatee can have," tweeted former Manatee High School girls soccer player Kylie Ameres.

"Anyone who has ever been to Bradenton is in mourning," tweeted former Public Defender Adam Tebrugge.

"Snooty, once the world's oldest living manatee. May he enjoy endless heads of lettuce in manatee heaven," tweeted fishing blogger Cass Anderson.

"Saddened to learn of Snooty's passing — a true Suncoast treasure," wrote U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key.

"Sad news about our beloved Snooty," recalled state Sen. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton. "Like so many others, my first encounter with him was in elementary school."

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