BELOW SUPERNAV drop zone ⇩

Watch: Manatee steals Florida boy’s surfboard in viral video

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida family captured a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with a wild manatee as they were waiting to catch some waves off Fort Pierce Inlet on July 4.

In a now-viral video, two friendly manatees approached the family, who are locals to the area, as they waited for the waves.

Husband and wife Brandon and Lisa Blais told WJXT their sons, Evan and Logan, “were out surfing when two manatees came up on them and started swimming around them.”

Soon after, one manatee was caught on video swimming up to Evan and playfully stealing his surfboard. The boy laughed and let go of the board as the manatee floated on its back, holding the board against its stomach.

Leesa Blais shared the video on Facebook, where it now has 151,000 views. She told the news outlet her husband captured the video on the family’s GoPro action camera.

Blais said the boys were alarmed at first but knew to stay clear and to never touch the manatees. The manatees swam around the boys for about 10 minutes before swimming away, she added.

Southeast

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

Site Settings Survey

 

MAIN AREA MIDDLE drop zone ⇩

Trending on NewsNation

MAIN AREA BOTTOM drop zone ⇩

tt

KC Chiefs parade shooting: 1 dead, 21 shot including 9 kids | Morning in America

Witness of Chiefs parade shooting describes suspect | Banfield

Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting: Mom of 2 dead, over 20 shot | Banfield

WWE star Ashley Massaro 'threatened' by board to keep quiet about alleged rape: Friend | Banfield

Friend of WWE star: Ashley Massaro 'spent hours' sobbing after alleged rape | Banfield

Sunny

la

67°F Sunny Feels like 67°
Wind
7 mph SW
Humidity
44%
Sunrise
Sunset

Tonight

Partly cloudy. Low near 50F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
50°F Partly cloudy. Low near 50F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Wind
6 mph NNW
Precip
10%
Sunset
Moon Phase
Waxing Gibbous