Watch this short video to learn why it is illegal to pet a manatee. Anything that changes the manatee's natural behavior, which can include petting, is considered a form of harassment and therefore illegal under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. It can habituate manatees to people and put them in harms way. Please remember to always observe manatees from a distance and do not interfere with their natural behavior. #manatee #savethemanatee Video © Save the Manatee Club. Additional footage by David Schrichte. Music by Steve Gruskin. This work is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0