Watch: Spring Breaker 'Attacked' by Manatee

Check out the video at the bottom of this post. Warning: There is some adult language included.

A spring breaker out for some sun, fun and adventure got more than she bargained for when she decided to take a dip in Florida’s waters.

A rather sizeable manatee swam up to the girl as her friends watched from a nearby boat. The girl’s reaction to the close encounter was recorded on a video that was posted to YouTube earlier this week, the Palm Beach Post reported.

It seems the girl wasn’t aware that manatees are strictly vegetarian and tend to be about as harmless as kittens despite their hefty size.

“Where is it,” she screams to friends on board the boat as the creature approaches her. “Get me out of here.”

The girl, who was not identified in the video, panics and treads water as the sea cow moves closer. At one point, she calms down enough to consider touching the critter, but thinks twice and refrains.

While manatees are considered gentle, harmless creatures, the girl’s move was the right one.

See Also:

• Florida Manatee Count Breaks Record
• Photos: Rescued Manatees Returned to the Wild
• Manatee Comforts Pooch Stranded in River

Manatees are protected under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 and the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reports on its website. Those acts make it illegal to “harass, hunt, capture or kill any marine mammal.” Florida’s own Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978 makes it “unlawful for any person, at any time, intentionally or negligently, to annoy, molest, harass or disturb any manatee.”

Violation of Florida’s law comes with a fine up to $500 and 60 days of jail time. A violation of the federal laws can carry up to a $50,000 fine and/or a year in prison.

The law doesn’t provide similar protection for spring breakers who find themselves harassed by a manatee.

Manatees can grow up to more than 13 feet in length and may weigh more than 3,500 pounds, the state reports. They are found throughout Florida’s coastal waters and in its rivers, surviving on a diet that’s plant based.

As for the spring breaker, she survived the encounter and was able to climb back onboard the boat with her friends. It is unclear where the girl is from or what body of water the encounter took place in.

Keep up with what’s happening around town and the state by signing up for your favorite Patch daily newsletter: Bloomingdale-Riverview, Bradenton, Brandon, Carrollwood-Northdale, Clearwater, Dunedin, East Lake, Gulfport, Land O’ Lakes, Largo, Lutz, New Port Richey, New Tampa, Palm Harbor, Pinellas Beaches, Safety Harbor, Sarasota, Seminole Heights, South Tampa-Hyde Park, St. Pete, Tarpon Springs, Temple Terrace, Westchase.