In this March 18, 2013 photo provided by the South Florida Museum, Snooty the manatee swims in her tank at the South Florida Museum in Bradenton, Fla. Snooty, born in captivity in Miami and the oldest manatee in captivity, will turn 65 on July 21, 2013. (AP Photo/South Florida Museum)
(AP)—The oldest living manatee in captivity turns 65 this weekend.
Snooty, who was born in Miami in 1948 and was moved to Manatee County a year later, lives at the South Florida Museum in downtown Bradenton.
He's the county's official mascot.
As it has each year for the past few decades, the museum will put on "Snooty's Birthday Bash," a big party to celebrate the aquatic mammal. The event is Saturday. Snooty's actual birth date is July 21, which is Sunday.
In this photo taken Wednesday, July 17, 2013, Snooty the manatee lifts her snout out of the water at the South Florida Museum in Bradenton, Fla. Snooty will turn 65 on July 21st. He was born in captivity in Miami and is the oldest manatee in captivity. (AP Photo/Tamara Lush)
He's in good health and enjoys 80-pounds of lettuce a day. On a recent day, he hoisted his 1,000-pound body up so he could sling a flipper onto the edge of the pool. He pointed his face toward the museum's director and accepted a scratch on the nose.
© 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
