Florida police held the head of a distressed manatee, or sea cow, above water for two hours until marine biologists could rescue it.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office mentioned how Deputy Jill Constant with the Marine and Environmental Lands Unity went out of the way to help the "exhausted" sea animal, reports New York Post.

"This manatee is going to die right in front of us and I'm not letting that happen! We docked the boat... and got in. We stayed in the water for two hours holding its head up until it could be rescued," she was quoted as saying by the Sheriff's office on Twitter.

Constant and another officer took turns to hold the manatee's head above the surface for two hours as they waited for the help to arrive.

The officer recalled that the sea cow regained some strength after a while and began thrashing its body in the water to get away from them, added the media outlet.

Florida's Fish and Wildlife Commission thanked the officers for jumping in to help the manatee, adding that it is expected to make full recovery.

FWC biologists claimed the sea cow's distress and exhaustion were likely caused by the effects of toxins produced by red tide, a common term used for a harmful algal bloom.

The aquatic mammals are found along tropical and subtropical Atlantic coasts. There are three species of the manatee - dull gray, blackish, or brown in colour.

Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul