State and federal wildlife officials are investigating reports of a manatee found with “Trump” drawn on its back in a Florida river.
The aquatic mammal was spotted over the weekend in the Homosassa River in Citrus County, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed. The area is about 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of Tampa.
“West Indian manatees are essential members of the ecosystems in which they inhabit and are protected under the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act,” USFWS Director Aurelia Skipwith said in a statement.
The manatee does not appear to be seriously injured, officials said. It appears that the word was written in algae that had grown on the animal’s back, not scratched into its skin.
Wildlife officials are looking for any information regarding the animal's harassment. Tips can be reported at 888-404-3922. The Center for Biological Diversity, a nonprofit group that protects endangered animals, is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in the case.
Harassing a manatee, a federal crime, is punishable by a $50,000 fine and up to one year in prison.
The Congressional Budget Office expects the U.S. economy will grow at a 4.6% annual rate this year, but with employment not returning to pre-pandemic levels until 2024.
President Joe Biden is warning of a growing “cost of inaction” on his $1.9 trillion COVID relief plan.
From Wall Street to Silicon Valley, these are the top stories that moved markets and had investors, business leaders, and entrepreneurs talking this week on Cheddar.
Event organizers and other unconventional logistics experts are using their skills to help the nation vaccinate as many people against COVID-19 as possible.
The wave of small investors who have ballooned the price of GameStop stock in an unprecedented short squeeze are calling on each other to hold their positions even as trading platforms freeze additional sales.
Variants and Vaccines, Robinhood Under Fire & World's Biggest Rollercoaster
Consumers slowed their spending for a second straight month in a worrisome sign for an economy struggling under the weight of a still out-of-control pandemic.
The independent senator says multiple groups will benefit from the proceeds, including Meals on Wheels and Vermont community action agencies. He also says Getty Images will donate proceeds as part of a licensing agreement.
New York may have undercounted COVID-19 deaths among nursing home residents by thousands.
Employers weigh the pros and cons of potentially mandating workers get the COVID vaccine or incentivizing them to get the shots, a conundrum complicated by legal considerations.
