named the Parker Manatee
Rehabilitation Habitat in 1994 in
honor of long-time board member
and patron, Mary Parker.
Snooty passed away at the age
of 69, the result of a faulty hatch
system accident. While it was a
terrible tragedy, Gonzalez said,
it was also a formidable learning
experience. It allowed people to
realize just how long manatees
can live if they were left in Florida
waters without human contact.
“The only reason Snooty lived so
long was because he was in human
care, in a protected area,” she
explained. “People loved Snooty;
it was truly shocking when he was
gone. We still hear from people
who have their birthdays around
the same time his was, and they
always marked it.”
There have been other growing
pains for The Bishop throughout its
history. In 2001 the facility suffered
a tremendous loss due to a fi re
that gutted the planetarium, a new
education wing and administrative
offi ces. By 2005, though, a new
education wing was opened, as
was a brand-new planetarium and
theater.
GUINESS BOOK OF WORLD
RECORDS WINNER
“Snooty” July 21, 1948 - July 23, 2017
Visitors to The Bishop in enjoy
seeing and learning about the wild
manatees receiving care in the museum’s
Parker Manatee Rehabilitation Habitat.
Snooty became an icon and an inspiration during his long life. Loved
by millions, he played an important role in manatee conservation by
inspiring people to care about, and to take action for his species. Here
are highlights of his amazing life, for which we are all grateful.
• July 21, 1948 “Baby Snoots” (later to be referred to as Snooty) is born on
The Prins Valdemar, a Danish warship that capsized in the Miami harbor in
1926 and later became a fl oating restaurant and the Miami Aquarium and
Tackle Company.
• 1949 “Baby Snoots” comes to Bradenton for the Desoto Celebration
and later makes his permanent home in an exhibit inside the South
Florida Museum’s area in the Chamber of Commerce building on the city’s
Memorial Pier.
• 1966 Snooty moves to the newly-constructed South Florida Museum, at
its current location.
• 1979 Manatee County Commissioners declare Snooty to be the county’s
offi cial mascot.
• 1982 Snooty gains even wider fame when the children’s television show
“Captain Kangaroo” fi lms him as part of a documentary on manatees.
• 1985 A hydrophone placed in Snooty’s tank reveals for the fi rst time the
high-pitched squeaks — Snooty’s vocalization.
• 1987 Snooty begins training to aid researchers trying to determine how
well manatees hear at different frequencies.
• 1993 Snooty moves into his newest home: a 60,000-gallon exhibit in the
newly-constructed Parker Manatee Habitat.
• 1998 The Parker Manatee Habitat joins the Manatee Rescue and
Rehabilitation Network and is introduced to his fi rst companion, Newton.
During his life, Snooty hosted 33 rehabilitating manatees.
• 2008 Snooty celebrates his 60th birthday at his annual Birthday Bash
and Wildlife Festival. His life history makes him one of the most renowned
ambassadors for endangered species and the environment.
• 2013 More than 6,000 guests visit the South Florida Museum to celebrate
Snooty’s historic 65th birthday — the largest crowd the museum has ever
seen and a testament to Snooty’s popularity in the community and beyond.
• 2015 Snooty is offi cially certifi ed as the world’s oldest captive manatee by
Guinness World Records.