A woman is selling a manatee-shaped chicken tender for $5,000

If you have a vivid imagination, you can find meaning in almost anything. Long before we started snapping our underwhelming midweek dinners, humanity was marvelling over all sorts of objects with an obscurely compelling appearance. Food has been no exception.

From spotting Jesus in toast to the Virgin Mary in a watermelon, the faithful are forever finding signs in their dinner. These messages tend to skew towards the religious. However, as one Floridian woman has recently proved, sometimes the message can be much more mundane. 

In a move that proves that nuggets are closer to nature than you might think, a Floridian woman has taken the surprising step of auctioning off an unusually shaped chicken tender. The item in question, which is currently listed on Facebook Marketplace for a cool $5,000, has the distinctive appearance of a manatee. 

The unusual chicken treat was unearthed by Riverview resident Melinda Britt Disbrow, who made the discovery after enjoying a meal at a Culver’s Restaurant in the centre of town. According to an interview Disbrow gave to WKMG News 6, the discovery of the nugget “made (her) day,” and immediately sparked debate as to what to do next. That same afternoon, the item appeared on Facebook.

Watch As Katy Perry Eats Seven Chicken Nuggets At Once On Live TV:

The listing states that would-be purchasers “Must see to appreciate” the nuggatee, and adds that the food is in a “new” condition. This is somewhat surprising, given that the tender has now been in Disbrow’s freezer since the 3rd of January, according to News 6. 

Although the $5,000 listing is clearly tongue-in-cheek, there is a serious message behind the nugget. Included on the product description is a link to savethemanatee.org, and Disbrow herself has said:

“It’s really sad… it’s very rare to see one that doesn’t have scars from propellers on it. So, if this can put it out there, make people aware, it’s well worth it — and it’s an awesome chicken tender.”

Although at the time of writing the nugget is still listed on Facebook, it is unclear whether, over one week after the food was found, it is still available. Regardless, it’s good to see someone using weird food to raise awareness of such an important issue.