Actor Dave Bautista offers reward of USD 20,000 to find person who etched 'TRUMP' on manatee

Washington [US], January 17 (ANI): "Guardians of the Galaxy" star Dave Bautista has offered a reward of USD 20,000 for information on the person who wrote 'TRUMP' on the back of a manatee, a marine mammal also known as sea cows.

The manatee was discovered on January 10 in Florida's Homosassa River with the President's name scraped on its back, according to a news release from the Center for Biological Diversity, said CNN.

"If there's not already a reward for the arrest and conviction of the low life scummy MAGATs that did this I will throw in USD 20,000. And I promise there will be bonuses to that reward!" Bautista said in a tweet.

Earlier, the Center for Biological Diversity had announced a reward of USD 5,000 for information of the accused.

Following the incident, Jaclyn Lopez, Florida director at the Center for Biological Diversity, told The New York Times, "Manatees are not billboards, and people should not be messing with these sensitive and imperiled animals for any reason."

"However this political graffiti was put on this manatee, it's a crime to interfere with these creatures, which are protected under multiple federal laws," she added.

The Hill further said that the manatees are classified as a threatened species in Florida, and tend to migrate into natural springs, including Homosassa River, during the winter months in search of warmer waters.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service and Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is currently investigating the matter. (ANI)