PALMETTO, Fla. (WFLA) – 69 years of living may have been a world record for the iconic mascot of Manatee County, but now it’s time to permanently cement Snooty the Manatee’s legacy; although it will also involve clay and bronze, too.

During quarantine, local sculptor Dale Holbrook started working on a memorial for the world’s first “sea cow” born in captivity, and now he is asking for assistance with both raising funds and finding a location.

After consulting with marine biologists, he constructed a mold of Snooty from hundreds of pounds of clay. In the above segment, Holbrook fills us in on the story behind why he decided to adopt this mission, after moving to the area only a few years ago from St. Louis.

To donate to the statue’s completion, you can head here.