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The Animal Legal Defense Fund has raised the amount of their reward for information leading to the person who appeared to have carved "Trump" into a manatee in Citrus County.

The animal rights organization bumped their initial reward of $3,000 by another $5000, raising the total offer for information leading to an arrest to $8000. But the ALDF isn't alone in offering rewards for whoever tagged the manatee. Actor, wrestler and Tampa native Dave Bautista also offered an additional $20,000 to anyone who could help bring in the people behind it.

That's $28,000, folks. 

"It’s troubling that someone has interfered with a threatened species and there are laws in place to prevent this type of incident. We hope the additional reward will reinvigorate the case — and a witness will come forward,” said Animal Legal Defense Fund Executive Director Stephen Wells in a statement. “We commend the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for their continued attention to this case and we’re hopeful that the local community will come forward with any information they have regarding this crime.”

The manatee was discovered in Blue Hole on the Homosassa River in January. Manatees are a protected species under the Endangered Species Act. People found in violation of the act can spend up to a year in prison and be fined up to $50,000.

Manatee deaths have been on the rise for the last several years and 2021 began with a bewildering die-off among the state's population, with water pollution a likely culprit.

This article first appeared at our sister publication Orlando Weekly. 

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This article appears in Apr 29 – May 5, 2021.