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Reproductive success of Antillean manatees released in Brazil: implications for conservation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 July 2022

Fernanda Loffler Niemeyer Attademo Open the ORCID record for Fernanda Loffler Niemeyer Attademo [Opens in a new window] ,
Iran Campello Normande Open the ORCID record for Iran Campello Normande [Opens in a new window] ,
Glaucia Pereira Sousa ,
Alexandra Fernandes Costa ,
João Carlos Gomes Borges Open the ORCID record for João Carlos Gomes Borges [Opens in a new window] ,
Ana Emília Barbosa de Alencar Open the ORCID record for Ana Emília Barbosa de Alencar [Opens in a new window] ,
Ernesto Frederico da Costa Foppel  and
Fábia de Oliveira Luna Open the ORCID record for Fábia de Oliveira Luna [Opens in a new window]
Fernanda Loffler Niemeyer Attademo*
Affiliation:
Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Aquáticos (ICMBio/CMA), Estrada do Forte Orange, S/N, Ilha de Itamaracá, PE 53.900-000, Brazil Departamento de Zoologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal/PPBA, Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamento e Conservação/LECC, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco/UFPE, Recife, PE 50.760-420, Brazil
Iran Campello Normande
Affiliation:
Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Reserva Extrativista Marinha da Lagoa do Jequiá, Rua Santo Antonio, 886, Centro, Jequiá da Praias, AL 57244-000, Brazil
Glaucia Pereira Sousa
Affiliation:
Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Aquáticos (ICMBio/CMA), Estrada do Forte Orange, S/N, Ilha de Itamaracá, PE 53.900-000, Brazil
Alexandra Fernandes Costa
Affiliation:
Instituto Bicho D’água: Conservação Socioambiental, Travessa B, 183, COHAB, Gleba 2, Marambaia, Belém, PA 66623-311, Brazil
João Carlos Gomes Borges
Affiliation:
Fundação Mamíferos Aquáticos (FMA), Avenida Guimarães Peixoto, n 75, Sala 1108, Casa Amarela, Recife, PE 52.051-305, Brazil Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Monitoramento Ambiental, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, R. Mangueira, s/n, Rio Tinto, PB 58.297-000, Brasil
Ana Emília Barbosa de Alencar
Affiliation:
GISdrone Consultoria & Mapeamento Aéreo – GISdrone, Rua Conselheiro Nabuco, 1301, Recife, PE 52070-010, Brazil Programa de Pós-graduação em Geociências, Departamento de Geologia, Programa Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, PPGEOC/UFPE, Av. Prof. Moraes Rêgo, 1235, Recife, PE 50.670-901, Brazil
Ernesto Frederico da Costa Foppel
Affiliation:
PRODEMA (Programa de Pós-Graduação em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente), Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Av. Marechal Rondon, s/n – Jardim Rosa Elze, São Cristóvão, SE 49100-000, Brazil
Fábia de Oliveira Luna
Affiliation:
Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Aquáticos (ICMBio/CMA), Estrada do Forte Orange, S/N, Ilha de Itamaracá, PE 53.900-000, Brazil
*
Author for correspondence: Fernanda Loffler Niemeyer Attademo, E-mail: niemeyerattademo@yahoo.com.br
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Abstract

Actions to rescue, rehabilitate and release calves of manatees are the main initiatives and strategies for conservation of the species in Brazil. The survival rate of animals in a natural environment and the reproductive success, identified by birth records, are some of the indicators used to estimate the release success for manatees. This study evaluated the effectiveness of releases of West Indian manatees based on the reproductive success of rescued animals that were released back into the wild in Brazil. Twenty-two female manatees were released in the states of Alagoas (into an extinct area) and Paraíba (into an existent population) from 1994–2020. Six females gave birth to 13 calves, all in Alagoas State. The average age of the first calving event was 11.7 (±1.49) years and 8.0 (±1.41) years after release. Among the females that had more than one calving, the average was 3.6 (±1.18) years between each calving. All calves observed were born alive; nevertheless, three (23.1%) died a few weeks after birth. In general, females rehabilitated in captivity and released in the wild were able to reproduce, especially in protected areas. This study emphasizes the need to intensify actions for the conservation of manatees and their habitats in order to achieve healthier wild populations.

Keywords

Birthendangered speciesreleasereproductionsirenian
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 102 , Issue 3-4 , June 2022 , pp. 252 - 259
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom.

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