A man has been charged after he posted photographs of himself on Facebook hugging a manatee, police said.

Ryan William Waterman, 21, was arrested on Sunday after he put up pictures of himself hugging the animal and allowing two young children to sit on it.

Waterman, from Fort Pierce, Florida was charged with trying to 'molest, harass, or disturb' a manatee which is an endangered species. 

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission filed the misdemeanor charge against Waterman after they were tipped off by an anonymous caller who had spotted the photos online.

The 21-year-old also posted pictures of two young girls sitting on top of the manatee calf and petting the creature in the water.

Waterman's attack on the manatee happened in January in St Lucie County, according to investigators. 

The wildlife commission told WPTV: 'An interaction that may seem harmless and innocent may ultimately have serious consequences for manatees and other wildlife.'

The second-degree misdemeanor for harming a manatee carries up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine