270
support a large manatee population, with sufficient food supply and free from
human disturbance at that time (data collected in 2001).
In 2012, Castelblanco-Martínez visited five regions in French Guiana to recognize the ecological scenario where manatees inhabit: Coswine, Iracoubo, Kourou,
Cayenne (Cayenne river and beaches near the city) and Kaw (including part of
Oiapoque river). Through shore and boat surveys and surveys using side-scan sonar
and hydrophone, the author recorded the presence of the species in Kaw river, Les
Vagues beach (near Cayenne city), Counami and Iracoubo region. Interviews with
fishermen revealed the presence of manatees in Kourou and Coswine.
11.2.6 Brazil
An expressive amount of information on manatees was published in Brazil in the
last decade. Data from significant effort through interviews, strandings and sightings (fixed-based platform, boat and aerial surveys) were recorded in theses, articles, books and conference abstracts. The most recent review on the species biology
and conservation in the country became available in a book published by the NGO
Aquasis (2016).
There is a significant quantity of historical information on the presence of T.
manatus in Brazil, since the Pedro Alvares Cabral expedition, in 1500. Most records
are from the states of Bahia and Espírito Santo (~19°S), apparently the southernmost
limit of the species distribution at that time. According to Whitehead (1977), human
predation and possibly habitat destruction exterminated the southerly populations of
manatee in Brazil. Domning (1981) reported the species distribution in the northern
coast, indicating its occurrence in Amapá and Maranhão coasts, but its extermination
from Pará coast and Marajó Island. The author also indicated the Mearim river, in
Maranhão, as an important habitat to T. manatus, where a large population could be
found. In the 1980s, the Brazilian Government coordinated an effort to collect data
on manatee distribution in the country through interviews. After this first effort,
Albuquerque and Marcovaldi (1982) indicated the former species distribution from
Amapá to Espírito Santo. However, it was extirpated from Espírito Santo, Bahia and
Sergipe states. Lima et al. (1992) and Luna (2001) complemented the interview
efforts and reported a fragmented distribution of the West Indian manatee in Brazil.
Alves et al. (2013) conducted one aerial survey in northeastern Brazilian coast,
from Alagoas to Piaui states, covering 4,026 km, recording 36 sightings of manatee
(41 individuals). The species was not observed in the Potiguar basin, at the northwestern coast of Rio Grande do Norte state (RN), where the authors described
extremely harsh conditions with strong coastal currents associated to intensive
exploration and coastal degradation due to oil industry and salt and shrimp farming.
However, the presence of the species in this area was recorded through interviews
(Choi 2011) and aerial surveys (Petrobras 2014), and this absence reported by Alves
et al. (2013) can be related to other factors, as poor visibility associated with low
manatee density. In the same aerial survey, the authors reported the absence of manA.C.O. de Meirelles et al.
support a large manatee population, with sufficient food supply and free from
human disturbance at that time (data collected in 2001).
In 2012, Castelblanco-Martínez visited five regions in French Guiana to recognize the ecological scenario where manatees inhabit: Coswine, Iracoubo, Kourou,
Cayenne (Cayenne river and beaches near the city) and Kaw (including part of
Oiapoque river). Through shore and boat surveys and surveys using side-scan sonar
and hydrophone, the author recorded the presence of the species in Kaw river, Les
Vagues beach (near Cayenne city), Counami and Iracoubo region. Interviews with
fishermen revealed the presence of manatees in Kourou and Coswine.
11.2.6 Brazil
An expressive amount of information on manatees was published in Brazil in the
last decade. Data from significant effort through interviews, strandings and sightings (fixed-based platform, boat and aerial surveys) were recorded in theses, articles, books and conference abstracts. The most recent review on the species biology
and conservation in the country became available in a book published by the NGO
Aquasis (2016).
There is a significant quantity of historical information on the presence of T.
manatus in Brazil, since the Pedro Alvares Cabral expedition, in 1500. Most records
are from the states of Bahia and Espírito Santo (~19°S), apparently the southernmost
limit of the species distribution at that time. According to Whitehead (1977), human
predation and possibly habitat destruction exterminated the southerly populations of
manatee in Brazil. Domning (1981) reported the species distribution in the northern
coast, indicating its occurrence in Amapá and Maranhão coasts, but its extermination
from Pará coast and Marajó Island. The author also indicated the Mearim river, in
Maranhão, as an important habitat to T. manatus, where a large population could be
found. In the 1980s, the Brazilian Government coordinated an effort to collect data
on manatee distribution in the country through interviews. After this first effort,
Albuquerque and Marcovaldi (1982) indicated the former species distribution from
Amapá to Espírito Santo. However, it was extirpated from Espírito Santo, Bahia and
Sergipe states. Lima et al. (1992) and Luna (2001) complemented the interview
efforts and reported a fragmented distribution of the West Indian manatee in Brazil.
Alves et al. (2013) conducted one aerial survey in northeastern Brazilian coast,
from Alagoas to Piaui states, covering 4,026 km, recording 36 sightings of manatee
(41 individuals). The species was not observed in the Potiguar basin, at the northwestern coast of Rio Grande do Norte state (RN), where the authors described
extremely harsh conditions with strong coastal currents associated to intensive
exploration and coastal degradation due to oil industry and salt and shrimp farming.
However, the presence of the species in this area was recorded through interviews
(Choi 2011) and aerial surveys (Petrobras 2014), and this absence reported by Alves
et al. (2013) can be related to other factors, as poor visibility associated with low
manatee density. In the same aerial survey, the authors reported the absence of manA.C.O. de Meirelles et al.