Snooty, the record-setting manatee that chomped lettuce, entertained school field trips and served as the official mascot of Manatee County, was found dead Sunday morning. The 69-year-old animal had been trapped underwater. Parker Manatee Aquarium staff found him stuck underwater in an area used to access plumbing. A hatch blocking off the small underwater hallway had come loose. Snooty’s fellow manatees, much smaller than he is, were able to enter and exit back into their main tank, but at 1,300 pounds, he may have been unable to turn around.
