Visitors watch during one of Snooty's four-times-a-day feedings.

Snooty, World's Oldest Manatee (Gone)

Bradenton, Florida

After this story was written, Snooty died in a freak accident one day past his 69th birthday.

Fame that's pegged to being the "oldest" of anything ultimately ends; nothing lives forever. Snooty the Manatee, however, has made a career out of defying the odds. He was born by caesarian section at the old Miami Aquarium after his mom was hit by a boat (and died); that was on July 21, 1948. At the time, all captive manatees died young.

Not Snooty.

For the next 45 years he lived alone in a tank, but didn't seem to mind. Snooty might not have even known that he was a manatee; his only companions were people, and he apparently enjoyed their company. He didn't meet another manatee until the fall of 1993, when he was moved into the 60,000 gallon Parker Manatee Aquarium in the South Florida Museum. Since then he's been joined by an ever-changing group of rehabilitating manatees who are then released into the wild.

Snooty, however, is a permanent resident, and in 2015 Guinness World Records recognized him as the World's Oldest Manatee.

Snooty has lived long enough to enjoy the benefits of modern-day animal care, and still enjoys visiting with tourists during his four-times-a-day feedings. He eats up to 100 pounds a day of fruit, vegetables, vitamins, and monkey chow.