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Dave Bautista has offered a $20,000 reward for information on the individual(s) who scraped “Trump” onto the back of a Florida manatee. The star made the announcement on his Twitter page on Jan. 11, 2021, after news of the defacement broke.
Bautista further stated, “there will be bonuses to that reward!” Previous to the stars reward offer, The Center for Biological Diversity had offered a $5,000 reward for this information.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said that the agency is “investigating this matter.” They also mentioned, “harassing or harming a West Indian manatee in any way (including touching or writing on it) is a violation” against a few laws and regulations.
Bautista is well-known for his role in the “Guardian of the Galaxy” franchise. He began his career when he joined the World Wrestling Federation in 2000.
How Bautista Feels About the Incident
The star was born in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 18, 1969. He now calls Florida home. The actor was very upset about the attack on the manatee. He hopes information for the “arrest and conviction of the low life scummy MAGATS that did this” comes to light soon.
Bautista is not alone in this hope. The attacked manatee was found about a week ago in the Homosassa River — located in western Florida. According to an official, the manatee did not appear to be seriously injured.
The Fish and Wildlife Service Director, Aurelia Skipwith stated that “manatees are essential members of the ecosystems in which they inhabit and are protected under the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act.”
The attack has been condemned by Bautista and many other people around the world. An individual documented the animal in a video. The video shows the word “Trump” scraped into the algae on the manatee’s back. It is believed to have been placed there by a person’s fingers.
Written by Sheena Robertson
Sources:
Huff Post: ‘Guardians’ Star Offers $20,000 Reward In ‘Trump’ Manatee Case; by Mary Papenfuss
IMDb: Dave Bautista
Featured Image by Gage Skidmore Courtesy of Wikimedia – Creative Commons License
Inline Image Courtesy of flickker photos’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License