One or more manatees were spotted lingering around the Laguna Madre this weekend. 

Biologists say photo evidence backs up the claim that the gentle creatures are swimming around our shores. Now, they're asking the public to keep an eye out for the one or several manatees because they want to make sure they're safe.

A man recorded a video of the animal off a dock in Laguna Vista after watching it bob up and down for 30 minutes. After making waves on social media, the sighting caught the interest of the UTRGV Coastal Studies Lab.

"These manatees likely were here already in the summertime, and they're hanging around," Shelby Bessette, program manager for the UTRGV Coastal Studies Lab, said. "They could have been in the upper coast in Galveston and made their way down here. Our water is still pretty warm right now."

Biologists at the UTRGV Coastal Studies Lab and the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network ask people to get in touch if they spot the critters to help keep them safe.

To report a sighting, call the UTRGV Coastal Studies Lab at 956-761-2644 or the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network at 1-800-962-6625.