CLEARWATER, Florida -- July 22, 2012

It's mating season for manatees and some aquarium officials are asking for privacy.

About 10 manatees beached near a busy highway in Clearwater on Thursday. At first, onlookers thought the manatees were in trouble. Police called the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and their experts said the mammals were mating.

The Tampa Bay Times reports aquarium officials then asked officers to secure the waters so the manatees would be protected from gawkers.

Officers cordoned off the waterline with crime scene tape to give the manatees some privacy.