A manatee named Hugh, who resided at the Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota, Florida, tragically passed away in April at the age of 38. The aquarium staff noticed a change in Hugh’s behavior on April 29 and closely monitored him. Unfortunately, he became unresponsive and was eventually declared dead.
Recently, a necropsy report revealed the cause of Hugh’s death. He suffered a 14.5-centimeter rip in his colon, which was a result of a sexual encounter with another male manatee named Buffett, who also happens to be Hugh’s brother, as reported by Sarasota ABC affiliate WWSB TV.
Fresh blood was discovered in a fecal sample collected from Hugh after the incident, indicating a significant injury. Witnesses observed ongoing sexual behavior between the two manatees throughout the day, with Buffett ultimately penetrating Hugh around 5:15 p.m. Shortly after, Hugh was found unresponsive at the bottom of the pool, and his death was confirmed.
The Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium addressed Hugh’s death in a Facebook statement, acknowledging that the manatees engaged in natural but heightened mating behavior. While this incident was the first of its kind between Hugh and Buffett, the aquarium stated that the two had previously exhibited increased sexual behavior for approximately two months each year.
The aquarium emphasized that Hugh and Buffett showed no signs of discomfort or distress leading up to the incident. The staff had employed positive reinforcement techniques and enrichment activities in their care. Moving forward, the aquarium committed to enhancing its animal care operations to meet or exceed industry standards and guidelines for animal health and welfare.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
