NUMBER 30 OCTOBER 1998
IN THIS ISSUE:
- FIRST CAPTIVE BIRTH OF AN AMAZONIAN MANATEE (p. 7)
- MANATEES IN
CALIFORNIA (p. 8)
- DUGONGS AND DIVERS CLASH IN VANUATU (p. 13)
EDITORIAL: DUGONGS AND DEBT
Among
the many preparations for the calendrical rollover to the new millennium is a
growing campaign to cancel the crushing international debt of many developing
nations. This "Jubilee" movement draws its name and inspiration from
the ancient Biblical injunction to liberate slaves and cancel debts at the end
of a 50-year period (Leviticus 25:10ff.). The modern version seeks to liberate,
by the year 2000, the many impoverished nations that are presently enslaved by
debt to first-world lending institutions.
In many cases, these loans
were ill-conceived to begin with, and produced little in the way of useful
"development" (or actually did environmental harm); much of the money
loaned was stolen by corrupt officials in the recipient countries; and the
lenders have already recovered more than the principal of the loans. Yet the
interest rates ensure that the loans remain "unpaid", and servicing
of the debt continues to absorb the lion's share of the recipient governments'
revenues. Though the benefits mostly go to the wealthy and powerful, the burden
of repayment inevitably falls most heavily upon the
poorest members of these societies, because debt repayment siphons off funds
that are desperately needed for health, education, and other services.
What does any of this have
to do with conservation of sirenians? Plenty. When nations are not even able to
educate their own people or give them basic medical care, serious expenditures
for protecting endangered species are not to be expected. For example, Mario de
Mello Dias calls attention in this issue to the inadequate protection of
dugongs in Mozambique. According to the U.S. Jubilee 2000 Campaign, Mozambique
has a gross national product of only US$80 per person, but a debt stock of $323
per person. Is it likely that dugongs will be on that government's agenda as
long as that burden of debt remains?
The same is true in many of
the developing nations which comprise most of the range of sirenians today. The
Jubilee 2000 Campaign notes that in Nicaragua, debt payments absorb more than
half the total government revenues; in Honduras, debt service obligations are
double the combined budgets for health and education; in Africa, four times
more is spent on interest than on health care. Examples could be multiplied.
It is time to acknowledge
that the prevailing system of international finance, tied to a philosophy of
neoliberal economics and "free trade" (i.e., free of legal restraint), is designed to systematically
transfer wealth from the poor to the rich. (According to the Jubilee 2000
Campaign's figures, the International Monetary Fund alone has transferred more
than US$3 billion OUT of Africa since the mid-1980s.) This modern form of
mercantilism cannot work to the advantage of most of the human race, let alone
that of endangered species. It is a recipe for global economic, political, and
environmental disaster in the next century (or even sooner, if the current
world economic crisis is any indication). Reform of this system is urgently
needed. A good way to start is with a resolution of the debt crisis that
involves justice as well as responsibility on the part of both lenders and
borrowers.
The Jubilee 2000 Campaign
provides an apt rallying point. For more information, contact: Jubilee
2000/USA, 222 East Capitol St. NE, Washington, DC 20003-1036; phone:
1-202-783-3566, e-mail: <coord@j2000usa.org>,
website: <www.j2000usa.
org/j2000>. - DPD
HELENE MARSH WINS PEW
FELLOWSHIP
Sirenia
Specialist Group Chairperson Helene Marsh is one of ten recipients of the 1998
Fellowships in Marine Conservation awarded by the Pew Charitable Trusts. An
initiative of the Philadelphia-based Pew Charitable Trusts in partnership with
the New England Aquarium, The Pew Fellows Program annually awards ten $150,000
fellowships which contribute to advancing solutions in fisheries conservation,
marine pollution, coastal management, and marine ecosystem conservation. In
this International Year of the Ocean, the former Pew Fellows Program in
Conservation has been renamed the Pew Fellows Program in Marine Conservation to
reflect its new focus on the world's oceans.
The
fellowships are highly competitive awards first given in 1990 and based on the
applied conservation merit of the proposal, the applicant's professional
achievement, and the potential impact of the project.
Dr.
Marsh has been a Professor at James Cook University, Queensland, Australia,
since 1988, working on marine wildlife ecology, coastal management, and
indigenous resource management. Her Pew Fellowship project brings together
government and indigenous community stakeholders to address sustainable
co-management of endangered dugongs in Australia. Activities include
development of new methods to estimate endangered populations, integration of
traditional knowledge and practices with western science for sound management
plans, and creation of culturally appropriate educational materials. The result
will be a sustainable co-management plan that can serve as a model for
negotiating marine protection in similar situations throughout the region.
Congratulations,
Helene!
LETTER
To Sirenews:
I
always look forward to reading Sirenews
to keep myself posted on all the Sirenia developments around the world. But I
am afraid that No. 29 (April 1998) was not a bringer of good tidings.
I
am extremely sad and (why not say it) outraged with the Local News article
written by Paul Dutton from South Africa, regarding the East African dugongs. It is unacceptable
that the authorities in Mozambique are just sitting, doing nothing about the
continuous plundering of the population of dugongs in the Bazaruto Archipelago!
May I also say the current legislation of that country regarding the killing of
dugongs is, to say the least, infantile.
In
Brazil, some 30 to 50 years ago, the manatee (Trichechus manatus) was under a great threat of extinction. Thanks
to effective environmental education work carried out by the Manatee Project,
which I had the privilege to be part of, and by "strong" legislation,
we were able to reverse the situation, and today we have a slow but certain recovery
and increase in the population of our T.
manatus as well as T. inunguis.
May
I therefore register my utter disgust and immeasurable protest over the
completely ineffective legislation and pathetic attitude of the Mozambican
authorities.
I would also like to express
my utmost regret regarding the frightfully sad situation of Florida's manatee
mortality. The Contingency Plan for
Catastrophic Manatee Rescue and Mortality Events prepared by the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service should be praised. At least one can see somebody cares -
unlike our East African fellows. I can only hope the next issue of Sirenews will bring good news from Paul
Dutton and from the Manatee News
Quarterly.
As a member of the IUCN
Species Survival Commission and also of the IUCN Commission on Environmental
Strategy and Planning, allow me to congratulate Sirenews on the wonderful job you are doing for the world's
sirenian population…. - Mario
Antonio de Mello Dias (Alagoas,
Brazil)
MANATEE AND DUGONG ACTION
PLANS
The draft IUCN Manatee Action
Plan is currently being updated and completed by the Sirenia Project, U.S.
Geological Survey - Biological Resources Division, with the assistance of
Antonio Mignucci-Giannoni of the Caribbean Stranding Network (Puerto Rico),
Buddy Powell of the Florida Marine Research Institute, and Miriam Marmontel of
the Sociedade Civil Mamirauá (Brazil). Plans are to have a final version in
early 1999. If you are interested in contributing new information on the status
of manatees in Mexico, Central and South America, or Africa, please contact Mr.
Bob Bonde, Sirenia Project, USGS, 412 NE 16th Ave. Room 250,
Gainesville, FL 32601 USA; phone: 1-352-372-2571; fax: 1-352-374-8080; e-mail:
<Robert_Bonde@usgs.gov>. -
Lynn Lefebvre
Thanks to the considerable
efforts of Joanna Hugues and Amanda Hodgsen and the inputs of many people, a
draft of the Dugong Action Plan should be ready for comment in a few weeks.
Additional information on dugong distribution and abundance from throughout its
range is still sought. If you can help, please contact me as follows: e-mail:
<helene.marsh@jcu.edu.au>;
fax: 61-747-815581; postal address: School of Tropical Environment Studies and
Geography, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia 4811. - Helene Marsh
NEW SIRENIAN WEBSITE
I have established a new
website entitled The Call of the Siren. It should be of interest to scientists,
students, and the public as a most comprehensive and organized collection of
sirenian resources and research links. It includes information on my research, and
links to sirenian research around the world. It also includes links to online
documents, e.g., Sirenews, the Marine
Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Protection Act, the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species, and bibliographies; to societies and
journals, e.g., the Society for Marine Mammalogy, the Acoustical Society of
America, and the Society for Conservation Biology; and to stories and places of
interest for the public. The URL is: <http://members.aol.com/caryn1001/
index.html/homepage.html>.
- Caryn Self Sullivan
"DOWNSIZING
FLORIDA: AIMING FOR 7 MILLION"
This is the title of the Third Annual Fall Conference of
Floridians for a Sustainable Population, to be held in cooperation with the
Academy of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, Florida. It
will be held on Saturday, 24 Oct. 1998, from 9 AM to 5 PM, and will feature
four speakers in addition to roundtable discussions on population growth and
development in Florida. Registration costs $25 and includes lunch.
Registrations should be mailed by 15 Oct. to: F. S. P. c/o Joyce Tarnow, 531 E.
McNab Road, Pompano Beach, FL 33060. For information, call (954) 942-7278 or
e-mail <jtarnow@ worldnet.att.net>.
LOCAL NEWS
AUSTRALIA
Extinction
Risk and Con-servation Priority: The Case of the Dugong in the Great Barrier
Reef Region. - The recent controversy over the decline in dugongs in
the southern Great Barrier Reef region in Queensland, Australia, and the
resulting management actions has highlighted the complexity of assessing
extinction risk over a variety of spatial and temporal scales. The associated
confusion about extinction risk and conservation priority has been used
effectively to polarize the debate.
The
dugong is variously listed as follows:
Spatial
Temporal Status
Agency
Scale Scale
Global 3
generations vulnerable IUCN
(90 yr)
Australia
25 yr not listed Australian
government
Queens- 3
generations vulnerable Queensland
land
(90 yr) government
The temporal scales over which extinction risk is
determined are defined by the criteria used.
Commercial
fishers have justified their objection to the establishment of Dugong
Protection Areas in which gill-netting is banned by pointing out that the
dugong is not listed under Australian legislation, and that this status has
been upheld in a recent review. Another group argued that, as dugong numbers in
the southern Great Barrier Reef comprised less than 2% of the estimated
Australian total, management intervention was unwarranted. Their stance ignores
several key issues:
·
that
the dugong is listed as vulnerable in Queensland waters;
·
that
one of the reasons for nominating the Great Barrier Reef as a World Heritage
Area in 1981 was its importance as a feeding ground for large populations of
dugongs; and
·
that
it is widely recognized that, despite its huge range, "the outlook for the
dugong seems dim indeed, but for what Australia can do" (Bertram, 1981).
Indeed, the rationale for
management intervention by the Australian Minister for the Environment was not
extinction risk, but conservation priority, as required by the World Heritage
Listing of the Great Barrier Reef region.
Similar confusion between
extinction risk and conservation priority is likely for other sirenians, as
their ranges are large relative to most of the terrestrial species for which
the measures of extinction risk were largely developed. Equating extinction
risk with conservation priority risks limiting conservation efforts to
"basket cases", while ignoring international responsibilities and
taxonomic uniqueness. We need to follow the example of Avery and his coworkers,
who developed a sophisticated matrix for developing conservation priorities for
British birds (Ibis 137:
s232-s239). - Helene Marsh
Aerial Survey of the Gulf of
Carpentaria. - The Queensland waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria comprise a large
and generally remote region which is well known for its marine wildlife,
including the dugong; three species of coastal dolphins (bottlenose dolphin,
Irrawaddy River dolphin, and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin); and six species of
sea turtles. Even though shoreline surveys were conducted in the 1970s, most of
the region had not been surveyed using the quantitative aerial survey
techniques that are now standard for dugongs in Australia.
These waters (33,026 km²)
were surveyed between 2 and 6 December 1997 using two survey crews each of six
people in two aircraft. Two aircraft enabled the survey to be completed in five
days, and minimized the chance of the population estimates being confounded by
local movements of dugongs within the survey period.
The total population
estimate for dugongs in the survey area was 4266 ± s.e. 656.9 at an overall
density of 0.1230 ± 0.0199 dugongs per km², of which 62% were in the Wellesley
Island area and 45% in the inshore waters of this region within the 3 m depth
contour. This confirms that the Wellesley Island region is the most important
dugong habitat in Queensland apart from Torres Strait and Princess Charlotte
Bay. A similar (but not identical) survey of the Wellesley Island region in
1991 resulted in a population estimate of 4066 ± s.e. 723 dugongs. The number
of dugongs sighted in both 1991 and 1997 was sufficient for statistical
comparisons in only three survey blocks within this area. There was no
significant difference between the estimated numbers of dugongs in these blocks
in 1991 and 1997. However, the interaction between time and block was different
between the two surveys due to a change in the distribution of dugongs within
the Wellesley Island region, which is under Native Title claim and is believed
to support a significant Indigenous fishery for dugongs and green turtles.
I am presently negotiating
with the commercial fishing industry about how they can achieve their aim of
"minimizing the effects of fishing on protected wildlife" in this
region. - Helene Marsh
BELIZE
Poachers Take More Manatees
in Port Honduras. - Biologists in Belize
recently reported an estimated population of about 500 manatees along its
protected coastal shores. In a program supported by the Wildlife Conservation
Society, Wildlife Preservation Trust International, and the Belize Coastal Zone
Management Program, James Powell, Nicole Auil, and other local biologists are
currently radio-tracking four manatees in central Belize in an effort to learn
more about their biology and migratory behavior. Public knowledge and awareness
are increasing, thanks to
implementation of aggressive educational programs.
However, it was recently
brought to our attention by Mr. Wil Maheia of the Toledo Institute for
Development and Environment that these endangered marine mammals are still
occasionally being hunted. On 31 August, Wil released some information about
the additional slaughter of manatees in the Port Honduras area of southern
Belize. This situation was first brought to the attention of Sirenews readers in the October 1995
issue (No. 24). In that issue, Bonde and Potter reported finding evidence of 35
manatee carcasses at 11 coastal butchering sites in Port Honduras. They
theorized that poachers were killing manatees in southern Belize and
transporting the meat back to Guatemala for sale.
Wil received a report that manatee meat was recently available for sale in the markets in Livingston, Guatemala. He decided to go out into the Port Honduras area near Punta Gorda to see if he could find any evidence of a recent manatee slaughter. He quickly found a freshly butchered manatee carcass. Reports soon followed of two additional manatees that were killed. Apparently, the manatees are harpooned and taken to shore, where the meat is removed from the bones by the poachers and transported to Guatemala to be sold in the marketplace. As long as there is a demand for this meat, this activity will continue!
What measures are necessary
to stop the senseless killing of this precious and protected marine mammal?
Laws are on the books to protect manatees in both Belize and Guatemala. Yet,
manatees are still being killed. The complexity of this situation is compounded
by the fact that the poaching area is very large and isolated. Efforts to
patrol this remote region by law enforcement are logistically difficult and
financially taxing. The governments are aware of the problems and are working
diligently to stop this unfortunate activity. Obviously, more Belizean officers
should be conducting patrols in southern Belize, and Guatemalan officials
should levy and enforce strict fines on merchants and fishermen that are caught
selling endangered manatee meat in the open market. I urge you to express your
support for the protection of the West Indian manatee in these areas by
contacting the Honorable Daniel Silva, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries,
Belmopan, Belize, and the Honorable Mariano Ventura, Minister of Agriculture,
Guatemala City, Guatemala. You should
also contact the Guatemalan Ambassador to the United States, Peter Lamport (<Embaguat@sysnet.net>)
and the Guatemalan Ambassador to Belize, Antonio R. Castellanos Lopez (<guatemb.bz@btl.net>). Additional
information about the poaching incidents can be obtained by contacting Wil
Maheia (<pgwil@btl.net>). - Robert K. Bonde (Sirenia Project)
BRAZIL
First
Amazonian Manatee Con-ceived and Born in Captivity. - Vera da Silva of INPA in Manaus reports
that on April 8, 1998, between 0700 and 0900, a captive female Trichechus inunguis gave birth to a male
calf after 24 years in captivity. Both mother and baby are fine.
The
mother, named Boo, arrived at INPA in July 1974 as an orphaned calf only 116.5
cm long and weighing 26 kg. Her mother had been killed by a hunter and Boo
herself had been harpooned, but was in good general condition. Diana Magor
obtained possession of her from a local aquarium that had gotten her from the
hunter. Since Boo was already eating plants on arrival at INPA, she was
maintained on solid food thereafter and never given milk formula. By the end of
January 1998, she was up to 240 kg.
As only the second captive
manatee to have been obtained by the INPA manatee project, Boo has participated
in numerous research studies over the years - not always willingly, however. I
remember her well from my years at INPA (1976-78): because she had never had
the intensive human contact that goes with being nursed on a bottle, she was
notoriously hard to handle (unlike most of our captives, who were bottle-raised
and very docile). It's good to know she is now a mother. - DPD
CALIFORNIA
Manatees
on the Move: From Florida to California. - On 9 March 1998, five male
Florida manatees in the rehabilitation program at SeaWorld Orlando were flown
by chartered jet on a six-hour trip to a new manatee exhibit at SeaWorld San
Diego. The transfer was authorized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS),
which holds the endangered species permit under which all manatee rescue,
rehabilitation, and release activities in Florida are conducted. SeaWorld San
Diego was added to the FWS-authorized list of facilities with the understanding
that any of the five manatees could be returned to Florida for release upon six
months' notice. Four of the manatees were hand-reared orphans, and the fifth
was an animal that had severe damage to its tail resulting from a watercraft
collision.
The
indoor facility at SeaWorld San Diego holds 200,000 gallons of fresh water and
has 112 feet of underwater viewing. Educational exhibits are adjacent to the
underwater viewing area. The SWC Education Department has created programs for
students that focus on the manatee and other endangered species.
The FWS authorized the
transfer to increase the amount of manatee critical care space available at
SeaWorld Orlando and to expand manatee education programs. This transfer is the
first time in decades that Florida manatees have been held at a facility
outside the State of Florida [see related news item below]. The new SeaWorld
San Diego exhibit will introduce manatees to millions of guests each year. - Dan Odell
FLORIDA
Cooperative Manatee
Rehabili-tation and Reintroduction Efforts in Florida. - Currently, there are fewer
than 3,000 Florida manatees (Trichechus
manatus latirostris) remaining in the southeastern U.S., primarily in
coastal (both marine and freshwater habitat) areas of Florida. As the rapid
expansion of the human population in Florida continues (nearly 1,000 people per
day move into the state), subsequent development and associated human-related
threats to manatees and their habitats also grow. Historically, human
activities have accounted for about one-third of the known manatee deaths in
Florida each year. Boat-related mortalities comprise approximately 80 percent
of these human-related deaths. In addition to those killed, many more manatees
are injured or orphaned each year. Most adult manatees bear permanent scars
from boat propeller strikes. Still others require temporary assistance to be
freed from monofilament fishing line and crab pot line entanglement, or require
treatment due to cold stress or illness.
As part of the manatee
recovery effort, a model statewide partnership has evolved to rescue,
rehabilitate and, whenever possible, release manatees back into the wild.
Private citizens acting as volunteers, non-profit organizations, corporate,
local, state, and Federal facilities and biologists all contribute to the
rehabilitation effort, achieving collectively what no single party could manage
alone.
Manatee rescues in Florida
are coordinated by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
field stations located in five coastal areas, in cooperation with the Florida
Marine Patrol (FMP), and 15 participating private and public organizations
holding Letters of Authorization from the Service. Rescue program participants
respond to hundreds of reports of manatees in distress annually, verifying
manatee locations and assessing the circumstances involved. This results in
some 20 to 30 manatees being rescued and treated annually. Seven Florida
facilities are authorized to care for captive manatees, and work cooperatively
with the Service in the rehabilitation effort. Sea World of Florida (Orlando),
Miami Seaquarium (Miami), Lowry Park Zoo (Tampa), Homosassa Springs State
Wildlife Park (Homosassa), Living Seas at EPCOT Center (Lake Buena Vista), Mote
Marine Laboratory (Sarasota), and the South Florida Museum (Bradenton) are the
current participants. Over 50 manatees are presently cared for at these
facilities.
The Service's manatee
recovery biologists work closely with the Interagency/Oceanaria Manatee Working
Group, which represents agencies, rehabilitation facilities, and private
organizations concerned with manatee rescue and rehabilitation. The Working
Group meets periodically to review program needs and to plan transfers,
releases, and research activities involving captive manatees. The Working Group
also provides valuable input to the Service regarding captive husbandry,
medical status, potential release and staging area candidate assessment, and
evaluation of the rehabilitation and reintroduction program effort.
Many of the manatees that
are brought in for rehabilitation recover relatively quickly and are routinely
released in the general vicinity of their rescue. Even with a progressive
release program, however, the number of manatees being held for rehabilitation
in Florida facilities has continued to increase each year because more injured,
orphaned, or sick animals are rescued than are released. In addition, some
captive animals are currently categorized as “non-releasable” due to the extent
of their injuries, their small size, or the fact that they have been in
captivity for many years. As a result, the Service has decided to pursue the
eventual transfer of appropriate manatees to facilities outside of Florida. For
the first time, three out-of-state facilities (Sea World of California in San Diego;
the Columbus Zoo in Columbus, Ohio; and the Cincinnati Zoo in Cincinnati, Ohio)
have been issued Letters of Authorization to participate in the Service’s
manatee rehabilitation program.
Last March, five manatees
being held for rehabilitation at Sea World in Florida were transferred to Sea
World in San Diego, California to free up space in Florida for rescued manatees
in need of critical care [see news item above]. Up to four manatees will be
transferred to the Columbus Zoo this winter. A fire destroyed the manatee
exhibit that was under construction at the Cincinnati Zoo last May. The $4
million exhibit was to open July 10. The zoo plans to rebuild, and should be
ready for manatees early in 1999. - Bob
Turner (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Jacksonville, Florida)
FDEP Staff Changes. - Spring and
summer 1998 have been an active time of change for the Florida Department of
Environmental Protection's Endangered and Threatened Species Group, which
includes manatee researchers. Dr. James "Buddy" Powell has taken a
job as the research administrator for the manatee and turtle research programs
within the Florida Marine Research Institute. Monica Ross has moved on to take
a job at the new Disney Wild Kingdom attraction in Orlando. In May, Mark Sweat
started a Ph.D. program at the College of Veterinary Medicine of the University
of Florida. Kari Clifton started her Ph.D. program at the University of Florida
in July. Brad Weigle, with the distinction of being the senior member of the
manatee research staff, is moving on to pursue the development of a company he
helped found, Interface Airships.
- Scott Wright
Support for Preservation of Indian River
Lagoon. - The Nature Conservancy's Florida chapter is purchasing
easements on undeveloped land along the Indian River Lagoon, an important
manatee habitat area on Florida's Atlantic coast, and developing a related
communications plan. The Orvis Company, a fly-fishing, tackle and clothing
retailer based in Manchester, Vermont, and the National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation (NFWF) will each match Orvis customer donations to the Conservancy's
project up to $75,000.
The Indian River Lagoon project is just one of many
Conservancy efforts that The Orvis Company has supported. Since 1992, Orvis and
its customers have raised money to protect waterways in Idaho, Florida, and
Alaska, as well as songbird habitat in Jamaica. NFWF matched the Orvis gifts to
these projects as well, generating nearly $700,000. As a company, Orvis donates
5% of its pre-tax profits to the conservation of fish and wildlife
habitats. - (Source: Nature Conservancy
Magazine 48(3).)
GERMANY
Steller's Sea Cow on the Internet. -
While maintaining my dugong web page, I frequently come across substantial
information about the extinct Steller's sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas). But nowhere have I found a plausible
illustration showing the animal as it might have looked in life. I believe that
such a picture is needed to create awareness that "Steller's sea cow"
is not just a name, but was a living mammal which humans carelessly wiped out
not long ago. Therefore I will try to elaborate such an image myself. The
current result is posted at <http://www.online.de/home/
Rothauscher/steller.htm>
Being a computer
designer who knows a bit about the living seacows, but not a paleontologist, I
need input from the sciences. Comments and suggestions for enhancement are
hereby invited. - Hans
Rothauscher
GUINEA-BISSAU
West African Manatee Conservation Plan in
Guinea-Bissau. - In Sirenews No.
27 (April 1997) it was announced that the IUCN representation in Guinea-Bissau
was preparing a study in order to develop a Manatee Conservation Plan. As one
of the least populated and least developed countries of West Africa,
Guinea-Bissau still has large areas of almost untouched mangroves, wetlands,
and river systems. This is one reason why it has often been considered one of
the last sanctuaries of the West African manatee. Unfortunately, this situation
is rapidly changing as human pressure on many coastal areas is increasing.
Consequently, the implementation of a management program is urgently needed to
prevent the predictable dramatic decrease of the manatee population.
Accordingly, in March 1998, IUCN Guinea-Bissau signed a
protocol with several local and international institutions to elaborate and
implement a National Plan for the Conservation of the West African Manatee.
This project has established twelve objectives:
1. to produce a map of the current distribution of the species
in the country;
2. to make a qualitative assessment of manatee abundance;
3. to identify manatee population trends;
4. to identify and evaluate major threats to the manatee
population;
5. to assess the significance of manatees in the cultural and
economic activities of local communities;
6. to obtain information on other biological and ecological
parameters of the species;
7. to provide training for national biologists and
technicians;
8. to develop and implement an appropriate methodology for a
long-term manatee monitoring program;
9. to identify key areas to conduct further research;
10. to develop manatee management programs for areas of
specific importance;
11. to propose measures for the protection and valorization of
the manatee population;
12. to elaborate a National Plan for the Conservation of the
West African Manatee in Guinea-Bissau.
During 1997, contacts with several international experts
were initiated in order to gather literature on the biology, ecology and
conservation of sirenians. These experts also provided some valuable comments
on the methodology chosen for this preliminary study.
Information on the occurrence and distribution of the
manatee in Guinea-Bissau is scarce, and it was decided to follow the IUCN/SSC
Sirenia Specialist Group recommendation and adopt "a more fundamental,
cost-effective approach" to conduct this preliminary study. On the other
hand, most of the river systems in Guinea-Bissau have very turbid waters and
plenty of emergent and floating vegetation. In this kind of environment, both
aerial surveys and satellite or radio tracking are unlikely to produce good
results. There are certain regions, however, where the water is clear enough to
allow some aerial observations, and experimental flights in these areas are
planned in order to assess the feasibility of this method.
For a few years now, the IUCN's office in Guinea-Bissau
has been conducting studies based mainly on interviews of local people.
Considering the excellent results obtained with well-known species, such as the
hippopotamus and the chimpanzee, the same method was chosen for this project,
as the manatee is also well known to everybody in the country. Local
technicians and biologists previously involved in other manatee projects were
asked to participate in the present study. With their collaboration, the
interviews were elaborated and several local technicians received training in
how to perform them.
In April 1998, two park rangers and one technician from
the General Direction of Forestry and Hunting visited 241 villages and fishing
camps in the islands, and in the north and south of the country, all along the
coast. Up till now, 331 persons have been interviewed, mostly fishermen,
hunters, former manatee hunters, and farmers. The interviews will continue in
the next few months, until the remaining regions in the eastern part of the
country are surveyed. This survey will hopefully allow the identification of
areas of greater importance to the species, where future research should be
conducted and management programs implemented.
This survey is being developed in partnership with the
General Direction of Forestry and Hunting of the Agriculture and Rural
Development Ministry and the Fisheries Research Centre of the Fisheries
Ministry of Guinea-Bissau, and with the Portuguese Nature Conservation
Institute. It is mostly financed by the Swiss DDC and supported technically and
logistically by the Protected Areas Component of the IUCN's program in
Guinea-Bissau. Please feel free to send us any comments or suggestions
regarding this subject.
NOTE: On 7 June 1998, a military rebellion broke out in
Guinea-Bissau, leaving the country in a very unstable and perilous situation.
Therefore, as happened with several other cooperation programs, the IUCN
program in Guinea-Bissau has been temporarily interrupted. - Mónica Almeida e Silva (UICN, C.P. 23,
1031 Bissau Codex, Guiné-Bissau; e-mail: <uicn.bi@sol.gtelecom.gw>)
NICARAGUA
Logging Project Halted. - The last
issue of Sirenews reported on the
activities of the Solcarsa Company, whose illegal logging and wood processing
operations were threatening the rainforest home of the Miskito and Rama
Indians, who traditionally are manatee hunters. This activity has now been
halted, thanks to an international outcry. In late February 1998, Nicaragua's
Ministry of Natural Resources was finally forced by the Supreme Court to put a
stop to these operations, which were ruled to be in violation of the Nicaraguan
Constitution. The company, which is a subsidiary of the Korean logging company
Kumkyung, was given two months to wind up its operations and leave the country.
Some problems remain unresolved, however. Solcarsa has
not yet paid fines for destruction of property that were levied by the Ministry
of Natural Resources, and workers' claims of unpaid wages have gone unanswered.
The Human Rights Commission of the Organization of American States has
announced its intention to investigate, but Nicaraguan President Arnoldo Aleman
has refused to let the Commission enter the country. In addition, Solcarsa is
reported to be continuing some logging in the region to which the Ministry of
Natural Resources has turned a blind eye.
- (Source: Rainforest Action
Network Action Alert 137, May-June
1998)
SRI LANKA
More
on Sea Pigs. - In the article in Sirenews
No. 28, you did not mention that in Sri Lanka the Sinhala vernacular name for
the dugong is müdu üra, which means
"sea pig" (müdu = sea, üra = pig). I think the term cudalpani is actually a word derived
from Tamil.
We at IUCN Sri Lanka
initiated a Marine and Coastal Programme in 1997 and are in the process of
identifying areas in which we can initiate some action, for instance
conservation projects for threatened marine species. As far as we know, there
are no conservation programs being carried out in the country at present for
the protection of dugongs. Does the IUCN Sirenia Specialist Group have any
information on the status of dugongs in Sri Lanka, or do you know of any other
organizations or individuals who do? Thanks very much. - Sonali Senaratna (Programme Officer,
IUCN Sri Lanka; fax: (++941) 580202; e-mail: twcusl@sri.lanka.net)
THAILAND
Aerial
Survey of Dugongs in Thailand. - Although Thailand has not made much
progress in dugong conservation, we are doing the best we can given limitations
of budget and staff. In April 1998, we monitored the number of dugongs in Trang
Province, where the largest group of dugongs in Thailand was believed to exist.
The Agriculture Aviation Division provided us with 3 days' use of a helicopter
for flights along a 52 km route over the seagrass beds. The highest number of
dugong counted by one observer at each side of the helicopter is 33. This
number might have been affected by:
1.
Habitat
disturbance: During the survey, the channel that dugongs use as a resting area
was being deepened by a huge dredge. Fishermen also reported that a lot of fish
were killed. This may have caused some emigration of dugongs. Eight dugongs
were observed in the northern area, where usually only 3-4 are found; this area
was very little affected by the dredging.
2.
Turbidity:
During the survey, suspended sediment greatly reduced the visibility of
submerged dugongs. In April, dugongs usually can be observed up to 5 m below
the surface; but this year they could not be seen below 2 m.
A successful public
awareness program has already been conducted in the survey area. However, in
August, we found a mid-sized dugong carcass washed up on the beach, with four
small holes in its head.
The Fishery Department is also interested in dugong
survival. Last year a preliminary survey was conducted along the western
(Andaman Sea) coast of Thailand, using a flying dinghy. This survey also
included my study area in Trang Province. Forty-eight dugongs were found in an
area of about 970 km². - Suwan
Pitaksintorn (Forest Ecology Research and Development Division, Forest
Technical Office, Royal Forest Dept., Phaholyotin Rd., Jatujak, Bangkok 10900,
Thailand)
New
Dugong Stamp. - To commemorate UNESCO's International Year of the Ocean
(1998), Thailand has issued a set of four stamps, depicting three cetaceans and
the dugong, respectively. The high-value (9-baht) stamp in the series shows a
mother dugong and calf. The series is available as a very handsome souvenir
sheet. A limited number of these are available from Suwan Pitaksintorn at the address above.
VANUATU
Dugong-Human
Interactions in Vanuatu. - The Vanuatu archipelago forms the eastern limit
of dugong distribution. The dugong population is distributed throughout the
islands from Aneityum in the south to the Torres Islands in the north (see Fig.
1). Although dugongs are now protected in Vanuatu, they were previously hunted
throughout the year. Dugong hunting was not governed by custom or tradition, as
many of the locals do not consider the dugong an important mammal in terms of
either food or culture.
Fig. 1. Map of Vanuatu, with reported dugong
localities (•).
Recently,
exploitation of a single male dugong on the island of Tanna has proven to be an
economic bonus for the villagers. This animal is a resident of Resolution Bay.
Since little was known about recent changes in its habits, I visited the area
and interviewed the villagers concerning this resident dugong.
Resolution
Bay is about 2 km wide. Villagers claim that the dugong has frequented this
area since 1970. It has done so alone since the loss of its mate in 1988. A
report written in 1989 by the Department of Fisheries showed one dugong sighted
in 1989; there were two in 1988, indicating that the female may have been
killed early in 1988.
The
World Wide Fund for Nature photographed the dugongs of Tanna in 1988, and in
the same year Vanuatu issued a set of postage stamps depicting dugongs.
According
to the villagers of Port Resolution, the female dugong was killed around 1988
to keep the male from leaving the bay. The villagers had come to rely on the
tourist dollar by allowing divers and tourists to play with the dugong. My
observations of the dugong and of wooden carvings of it made over a period of time
indicate changes in the animal's condition, beginning with a weight loss
followed by a significant weight gain. The village carver strongly believes
that no other dugongs were in the area beside the male and the accompanying
female. One of the carvings shows a pregnant female, which was authenticated by
the villagers: an interview indicated that the female gave birth and was killed
soon after. What happened to the calf is unknown.
Another
theory is that the female went with her calf to Port Patrick, 65 km from Tanna,
where dugong sightings have been recorded. Could the dugong at Tanna be
territorial but visit Port Patrick to connect with other dugongs? This is
disputed by the locals, as they are able to attract it on any given day by
slapping a paddle on the water.
In
recent years the dugong has become aggressive toward tourists and villagers
alike (see Sirenews No. 26). Divers
and tourists are partly responsible, as the animal is harassed. In recent
months it has displayed unusual behavior by tossing turtles into the air.
Underwater photographer Ben Cropp spent a week on Tanna with this dugong. He
witnessed the dugong bringing a turtle back to the village, where turtles are
consumed.
The
type of behavior displayed by the dugong when divers approached is described by
A. A. Belcher in Asian Diver, January
1998, p. 33: "One moment I was taking photographs; suddenly I was shot out
of the water in a head butting ram from the dugong. My partner came to my aid.
She, too, was tossed over the head of the mammal." Physical harassment by
young locals, including placing fingers in the dugong's nostrils and pulling
its tail, has made this animal hostile. It should be noted that it shows no
malice toward children, perhaps because it is larger than they are.
Why
it remains in the area is unknown. It is not fed by the locals, as there is an
abundance of seagrasses in the area (Chambers in 1990 found nine species: Cymodocea rotundata, C. serrulata, Enhalus
acoroides, Halodule pinifolia, H. uninervis, Halophila ovalis, Syringodium
isoetifolium, Thalassia hemprichii, and Thalassodendron
ciliatum). The dugong continues to display aggression, and may injure a
tourist to the point where the villagers may be prevented from
"using" this animal. This would remove a valuable source of income
for the village. This interaction should be regulated to ensure the safety of
both humans and the dugong.
On
the island of Epi, another male dugong has formed a relationship with the
locals. This animal was first befriended by two Canadian women in the early
1980s, who swam with and stroked the dugong, which seemed to seek out human
contact. Dr. Franz X. Schmolleri, from Air Club Vila and author of
"Dugongs and Vanuatu" (in French only), was able to recount the story
of this particular dugong to me.
Dr.
Schmolleri confirmed that on one of his many visits to Epi, he was called at 7
A.M. to see a male dugong at Lamen Bay. The animal remained in the area for
about 2 hours and then disappeared. It reappeared the following morning.
The
villagers in the area are irked by the dugong's behavior. When they are
spearfishing, it will act as a barrier between the fish and the fisherman. It
also displays a type of mimicry. If a villager dives toward the sand below, the
dugong will follow; if the head is shaken, the animal will mimic this behavior.
Dolphins and porpoises are known to display this type of behavior, especially
when a reward system is in place; however, food is not offered to this dugong.
Unlike
the dugong at Tanna, the one at Epi displays friendliness and not aggression.
However, at this stage it has not been subjected to much harassment. It will
not allow villagers near its tail. There are other locations on the island
where dugongs reside; however, according to Dr. Schmolleri, the same dugong
remains in Lamen Bay and is recognizable by its behavior, markings, and sex.
The
other known solitary dugong lives in a chain of islands called the Banks
Islands. Among these is a small but inhabited island called Loh. In 1989 the
first dugong count here was conducted by a field officer from the Department of
Fisheries, who had received a report of an injured dugong. On arrival, he found
a dugong with a lasso rope around its tail and extensive injuries. He told me
about the interaction he had witnessed between children and the dugong. The
animal was summoned using a paddle, as with the dugong on Tanna. It allowed
children to mount its back and was gentle. The villagers have rescued several
dugongs in the area, as they are often caught in shallow water, particularly
when stranded in pools by the receding tide.
- Sylvia Adam (Flat 12 - 34 Sturdee Parade, Dee Why, Sydney 2099,
Australia)
ABSTRACTS
The
following abstracts are of papers and posters presented at the XXIII Reunión
Internacional para el Estudio de los Mamiferos Marinos, held at Xcaret,
Quintana Roo, Mexico, 20-24 April 1998.
The
following abstracts are of papers and posters presented at the American Society
of Mammalogists Annual Meeting, held in Blacksburg, Virginia, 6-10 June 1998.
RECENT
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SIRENIAN WEBSITE DIRECTORY
The Call of the Siren (Caryn
Self Sullivan): <http://members.aol.com/caryn1001/
index.html/ homepage.html>. -
Caribbean Environment
Programme, Regional Management Plan for the West Indian Manatee: <http://www.cep.unep.org/pubs/techreports/tr35/ct35indx.htm>
Caribbean Stranding Network:
<http://netdial.caribe.net/~mignucci/>
Dugongs: <http://home.t-online.de/home/rothauscher/dugong.htm>
Florida Department of
Environmental Protection, Bureau of Protected Species Management: <http://www.dep.state.fl.us/psm/>
Florida Department of
Environmental Protection, Florida Marine Research Institute (Florida manatee
mortality data): <http://www.fmri.usf.edu>
Manatee neuroanatomy: <http://www.neurophys.wisc.edu/Manatee/>
Save the Manatee Club: <http://www.objectlinks.com/manatee>
Sea World of Florida: <http://www.seaworld.org>
Sirenews: <http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~smm/>
Sirenia Project, U.S.
Geological Survey: <http://www.fcsc.usgs.gov/sirenia>
Steller's sea cow: <http://www.online.de/home/Rothauscher/steller.htm>
CHANGES OF ADDRESS
Dr. Christopher D. Marshall,
Dept. of Orthodontics, University of Washington, Box 357446, Seattle,
Washington 98195 USA (phone: 1-206-543-5788; fax: 1-206-685-8163)
Dr. James A.
"Buddy" Powell, Florida Marine Research Institute, 100 8th
Ave. SE, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 USA (phone: 1-813-896-8626; e-mail: <Powell_JA@epic7.dep.state.fl.us>)
Dr. Antonio A.
Mignucci-Giannoni, Red Caribeña de Varamientos, P. O. Box 38030, San Juan,
PUERTO RICO 00937 (e-mail: <mignucci@caribe.net>)
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