Nothing Is Cuter Than This Baby Manatee Scratching An Itch On His Face

The other day, Catherine Puzino on a dive through the Crystal River, in Florida, when she happened upon an adorable scene. There, floating happily along in the warm, clear water, was a small manatee, about a year old.

But just when it seemed things couldn’t be any cuter, the plump gray baby got a wee little itch.

Puzino is a water guide with Fun 2 Dive, a company that specializes in manatee snorkeling tours. It was while leading a tour that she spotted the youngster who had an itch to scratch.

Despite his curiosity toward her, Puzino was careful not to get too close. Still, she was smitten — especially when he began scratching his pudgy face.

“When I came across this cutie, I fell in love,” Puzino told The Dodo. “You can actually hear me say, ‘Oh my God,’ through the snorkel.”

Here’s that moment on video:

“Baby manatees do goofy stuff like this pretty frequently,” Bree Lajoie, a fellow water guide, told The Dodo. “They really are gentle giants. Sea puppies, we call them.”

Manatees of all ages are known to enjoy a good scratch, Lajoie said. They can often be found rubbing up against boats and docks to get the job done.

This little guy was using his flippers — which, fortunately, come equipped with nails.

Tempting as it may have been to lend the baby a hand with the itch, touching manatees on purpose is prohibited by law.

Just getting to see him scratching, however, was pleasure enough.

“We love when manatees have itchy faces,” Fun 2 Dive wrote. “This is the cutest thing you’ll see all day!”