What was meant to be an ordinary roster for a Florida fisherman turned into a viral TikTok moment. Florida is known for its lush green scenery and sometimes frightening wildlife. A video from a canal in Florida left the Internet surprised. It featured a creature with mysterious spikes.
A TikTok creator shared a video from a canal that shows three sharp spikes emerging on the water’s surface as he zooms in, then quickly disappearing again. The video received over 2.8 million views. Turns out, it was a manatee, a Florida native.
In a follow-up video, the TikToker claims to have finally found what it was. He commented, “You are the only one right,” in response to a comment that read, “Looks like to me a manatee run over by a prop of a boat, seen that before.”
A manatee’s tail, which has a flat shape with split or jagged edges, is similar to what is seen in the video in a number of photos. Manatees are also native to Florida. There are currently about 8,350 of them in the state’s waterways, according to the FWC.
Crazy Video out of Florida:
— Just Lookin ?? (@JustLookingMon) April 19, 2026
Father & Son Fishing in a Creek or River catch a Trophy Large Mouth Bass. But an Alligator or Crocodile senses injured prey, to steal the Fish! ? ?#Viral #Sports #Weekend pic.twitter.com/F47r9t3GJr
“Was getting nice bites then all of a sudden, no fish, no splash, nothing and then this past by? Who can explain this? That’s been here longer than me?” he wrote in the caption. Viewers’ theories about what they saw varied in the comments section.
“Not a croc. It an alligator. This is FL. Alligators can travel in saltwater,” one user commented. “You all are so ignorant. Just because a croc can go in salt water, DOES NOT make it a saltwater croc. An american croc (that can survive in saltwater) is NOT the same as a saltwater croc. They are two completely different species, only ONE of which lives in florida,” wrote another user.
For context, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) states that American crocodiles do exist in the southern part of the state. A third user wrote, “It’s Florida, no need to explain.” Alligators, fish, turtles, and mammals are just a few of the many species found in Florida that spend a large part of their time in the water. It could have been any of those, theoretically.
A father and son were fishing in Florida when the father caught a huge fish As the man was reeling in the fish, a gator submerged out of nowhere and ran towards the men - grabbing the fish and walking off with it The man left with no fish and a broken fishing rod pic.twitter.com/NKtxgieFuW
— Prime Media News (@primemediakenya) April 20, 2026
According to the commission, the federal Endangered Species Act changed the species’ classification from endangered to threatened as of 2017. Often referred to as “sea cows,” manatees are huge, sluggish aquatic creatures that mainly inhabit shallow waters.
According to Ocean Today, they weigh 1,200 pounds and are 10 feet long on average. However, despite their size, manatees are remarkably graceful creatures. Additionally, they are crucial for maintaining a healthy ecosystem.
Worldwide, there are three species of manatees: Amazonian, West African, and West Indian. They are all considered at risk of going extinct. What has put manatees in danger? Loss of habitat and collisions with boats and ships are the two main risks.
