From time to time we come across some very strange stories and this latest one happens to be one of them…
I know you’re probably reading this title and thinking “wtf?” but this weird incident actually happened. According to ABC7, 38-year-old Hugh died on April 29 after succumbing to traumatic injuries caused by a sexual encounter with his brother, Buffett, officials revealed this week. Necropsy results obtained by the USDA came in and detailed one of the fatal injuries which was a 14.5-centimeter rip in Hugh’s colon.
This all started when Hugh began exhibiting a change in behavior and staff began monitoring him closely. Eventually, he became unresponsive. Officials with USDA explained that “facility representatives, employees observed high-intensity sexual behavior between two adult male manatees, which resulted in rectal penetration of the smaller male, at approximately 10 a.m. Shortly after this interaction, employees collected a fecal sample from the smaller male and confirmed the presence of fresh blood. The sexual behavior continued throughout the day with periods of rest between high-intensity interactions and occasional penetration. At approximately 5:15 pm, the larger male was observed penetrating the smaller male again. When the larger male swam away, the smaller male was seen unresponsive at the bottom of the pool. It was confirmed that he had passed,” the news outlet quotes.
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Florida’s Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium released a statement to provide clarity behind the death of its beloved resident manatee, Hugh.
Speaking of the mammal, who arrived to Mote from ZooTampa in 1996, — they explained that “Hugh and Buffett were both observed initiating and mutually seeking interactions from each other throughout the day, and there were no obvious signs of discomfort or distress such as listing, crunching, or active avoidance that would have triggered a need for intervention,” the nonprofit noted, adding that its care team opted not to physically separate Hugh and Buffett because “separation has previously caused undue anxiety and negative effects in both manatees.”
The Aquarium said the staff did what they can and used “positive reinforcement tools such as high-value rewards and enrichment that had previously been successful.” However, they simply could not save Hugh.”
Remembering the beloved manatee, the aquarium said, “Hugh’s indelible and lasting legacy will be one of an invaluable contribution to the scientific understanding of manatee behavior and contributions to the conservation of his species,” Mote said in the wake of his passing. “Our team is forever grateful for the time we had with Hugh and his contribution to manatee conservation, and we are proud of our staff and volunteers for the level of care we provide to all the animals at Mote Aquarium.”