Video shows beachgoers harassing manatees near Clearwater

Drone footage taken over a beach near Clearwater shows people touching, swimming next to and disturbing manatees close to shore.

The video was taken by the owner of See Through Canoe, a company that makes see-through kayaks and other clear boats, and uploaded to their Facebook page Thursday.

There are federal and state laws that protect manatees, which were considered endangered before being reclassified to threatened in 2017. It’s illegal to feed, harass, harm, molest, pursue, hunt, kill, shoot, wound or annoy manatees. Violators can face fines and jail time.

That’s because human interaction can alter the animals’ behavior in a way that can be potentially harmful, said Iske Larkin, director of the Aquatic Animal Health Program at the University of Florida. The animals may not be able to rest or eat and may feel the need to move from areas where there are humans.

Any activity that alters the animals’ behavior is considered harassment by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The people surrounding the animals, which can weigh between 1,000 to 2,000 pounds, were also at risk, Larkin said.

“It’s really lucky no one got hurt,” Larkin said.

The manatees appeared to be in a mating or cavorting herd. During this time, the animals are focused on each other and not paying attention to what’s around them, Larkin said.

Young children can be seen swimming next to the animals in the video. And at one point, a manatee seems to charge toward another manatee — nearly hitting a man in the water who falls backward.

“They’re very solid, and their tails are very powerful,” Larkin said. “They can very easily break bones or, if a manatee rolls on a person — I mean, that’s 1,000 to 2,000 pounds.”