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Pinellas County Sheriff's Office
Authorities released this photo of a woman reportedly riding a manatee.
A woman who police said was seen touching and riding a manatee in Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas, Fla., over the weekend turned herself in to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Tampa Bay Times reported.
Ana Gloria Garcia Gutierrez, 52, told police Tuesday that she wasn't aware what she did was against the law, the report said.
Witnesses gave authorities her description and photos of her riding the sea cow, which is a second-degree misdemeanor. She was seen riding the manatee at 1 p.m. Sunday in the water north of Gulf Pier, authorities said.
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Gutierrez was not arrested or charged, but the charges were referred to the state attorney's office, according to the Times.
The Florida Manatee Sanctuary Acts states that: "It is unlawful for any person at any time, by any means, or in any manner intentionally or negligently to annoy, molest, harass, or disturb or attempt to molest, harass, or disturb any manatee."
Authorities say the penalty for the woman could be up to 60 days in jail and a possible fine of $500.
Authorities don't believe any manatees were injured.
"It's a wild animal. It's not something to be ridden," Susan Butler, a manatee expert with the U.S. Geological Survey in Gainesville, told the Times. "I can't say that as a biologist I would ever, ever condone that, or say that (the manatee) wanted them to do that."
This article includes reporting by Lisa Orkin Emmanuel, NBCMiami.com, and NBC News staff.
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Leave a Comment:
I thought the article said.."turned herself on" I am more then a little disappointed to find that wasn't included in this article.
OMG, when I first saw that picture I thought "that is one ugly man on the back of that poor manatee!"
bet the manatee was thinking the very same thing. :)
It looks more like the Manatee was riding her!
I can't beleive the lady didn't know she shouldn't be riding a manatee. There are signs everywhere here about them. Oh well, hopefully the manatee won't have any long term psycological damage.
Too bad it didn't turn around and bite her in the ass.
WOW. This whole discussion is insane. The woman didn't know it was against the law and turned herself in when she heard of the uproar. She obviously had a really cool interaction with a Manatee and who knows, maybe the Manatee thought it was just as cool. If the animal wasn't hurt - no harm, no foul, send them both home with their memories.
You people are insensitive and cruel. That manatee was doing nothing to deserve this! How would you like it if you were walking somewhere and, out of nowhere, someone jumped on your back and started riding you around? Please have some respect for wildlife.
Purveyor,
If I was walking somewhere and a woman jumped on (not this one but perhaps a more shapely specimen - you weren't very specific) and started to ride me , I would be a happy kinda dude
Excellent point. I may need to rethink this.
All the jokes about fat sea cows and pigs have already been exhausted. I have nothing to add.
Granted, boaters are just as responsible, or "irresponsible" for injuries and deaths to Manatees, but this Woman and anyone else disregarding the Law should face the full consequences of the Law. This isn't an isolated incident. There are a significant numbers of waders and snorklers exhibiting the same irresponsible behavior. There need to be teeth in the Laws. Uncontestable $500 fine and jail. Ignorance of the Law is NO excuse. It's posted.
Phil-1026522
The dumbest of dumb animals ( the manatee not the stupid woman)
Hey Phil when's the last time anyone called you Eistein? Dumbo.
You try swimming with a whale on "you're back". It ain't easy.
Humans ARE the dumbest animals.
signed: the Manatee
Nothing unusual about one manatee humping another, is there?
How do you even find, much less get on top of a wild manatee.
With obesity numbers skyrocketing, I imagine there are many people riding manatees these days.
I don't know.... I talked to the manitee, and was told that the ride was "OK." Although, I have to admit that the cousin of the manitee said, "Not." Go figure. Manitee's just can't seem to make up their minds.
Ha Ha, a sea cow giving a sea cow a lift.
“There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.”
I agree with you Maureen-2162031 , is not right to ride any wild animal, then the animal will do something tol this ignorant (like many here) woman and it will be the animals fault, like always.......
I Love love lvoe lvoe animals, But seriously. With all the @!$%# going on in Florida, this poor woman is who you decide to go after. geezus christ.... theres people doing A LOT WORSE
I love it..."Oh, the huge manatee"...do you really think she did it on "porpoise"? It looks like she is having a whale of a time...
She "otter" know better.
They only arrested her coz she's fat.
Save a manatee ...ride a cowboy
Before everybody defends this lady and yells at law enforcement, keep in mind that police didn't write the law, they are charged with enforcing it. As for this woman, I don't think meant any harm and I certainly don't think she should be punished all that harshly, but.....she's an idiot. If you live in Florida, you know that wild animals are not to be fed, harrassed or (why would you want to?) ridden. She's not going to jail but she probably is going to get some kind of fine or public service which I am fine with. We need to keep in mind that IF the manatee (a protected species which until a few years back was on the brink of extinction) had hurt her, it probably would have been killed to protect other swimmers. That's why Floridians also can't feed wild gators. Sometimes the law needs to be there to keep stupid folks from hurting themselves or creating a nuissance animal that will hurt someone else or even to protect animals in the wild. I am fine with those laws because I certainly don't want my tax dollars going to pay for some idiot's medical bills or to organize a hunt for some animal that hurt somebody.
There is always grey, in the case of manatees, they seek people out because they want you to scratch them. If you don't they show you how with their two bristly upper lips. They scrub you all over until you return the favor. That woman definitely went too far, but I would not be surprised if she was encouraged by the manatee.
Yeah the only one NOT outraged is the manatee.
OK, I see the manatee in the photo, but what I don't see is someone riding her. Also for some odd reason, the manatee is wearing red shorts and a white ball cap... not sure if this is pertinent to the story.
LIKE A BOSS!