Officials in Florida are telling people not to touch manatees while they are having sex and to observe mating herds from a distance

The public was asked to stop touching the animals when they are having sex.

There was an announcement made by the police department and the aquarium on Sunday after a group of manatees were seen near South Lido Beach.

You should observe from a distance if you see a male and female together. The marine lab also shared the message from the SPD. You can call the hotline if you see a distressed or dead animal.

The photos were taken near the shoreline near the shallow water.

—Sarasota Police Department (@SarasotaPD) August 7, 2022

Large, marine mammals and icons of Florida, the gannets are also known as sea cows. In a large group of males, a single female is surrounded by a dozen or more males who are drawn to her by her scent.

During the mating season, which lasts from March to November, it can be exhausting for the males to have sex with the females. The females try to beach themselves in order to get away from the males, according to Kane Rigney.

The Florida manatees are protected by both federal and state law. The number of Florida manatees has more than doubled in the last 40 years.

1,101 manatees died in Florida in the year 2021. The die-off was the largest in the state's history. The deaths are classified as an "unusual mortality event" that requires immediate response.

Most of the time, the cause of death was starvation, but there were1-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-6556

The Indian River Lagoon is located north of Palm Beach on the Atlantic coast. During the winter months, the lagoon is an important habitat for the manatees.

Poor water quality in the Indian River Lagoon has resulted in harmful algal blooms and widespread seagrass loss.

The Environmental Protection Agency was sued by three groups for poor water quality. The Indian River Lagoon is being polluted by wastewater treatment plants and other factors according to the lawsuit.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service are working with the EPA to improve the water quality of the lagoon.

"Florida's beloved manatees will continue to suffer and die as long as EPA maintains inadequate water quality standards," said Jane Davenport, an attorney at Defenders of Wildlife.