Review requested in death of manatee

Officials at the South Florida Museum in Bradenton have asked for a third-party review of Sunday's drowning death of the world's oldest manatee in captivity, the beloved Manatee County mascot Snooty, the Bradenton Herald reports.

The review will include the aquarium's procedures, protocols and facilities, museum officials announced Thursday. Leading manatee experts are expected to be involved, including the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Snooty drowned Sunday in the life-support maintenance area in the aquarium just two days after his 69th birthday. A panel became dislodged, allowing Snooty access to a tunnel where he became stuck.

Museum officials said the panel has been secured and reinforced so a similar incident won't happen. Three manatees remain in the care of the staff as they are rehabilitated before being released into the wild.

On Friday, the museum announced a “living memorial” for Snooty on its website to allow supporters and fans of Snooty to post their photos, memories and best wishes, according to another Herald story.

“There has been an overwhelming outpouring of grief and mourning at the loss of Snooty, who was beloved around the world,” said the museum's CEO, Brynne Anne Besio.

Snooty came to the museum in 1949, just 11 months after he was born in captivity aquarium.

Over the years, he has become synonymous with manatee research and education, becoming the county's official mascot in 1979. More than 6,000 people attended Snooty's 65th birthday celebration in 2013, and he was officially certified as the world's oldest captive manatee by Guinness World Records in 2015.

The museum is planning a special memorial service for Snooty, but details have yet to be announced. at a Miami