Abstract
Knowledge about the distribution and abundance of the manatee (Trichechus manatus) along the coast of the Mexican state of Veracruz is scarce. Since few studies have been undertaken in this area, boat-based surveys and interviews with local fishermen were carried out to determine if there are remaining herds of manatees in the vicinity of the coastal towns of Tamiahua, Tuxpan, Tecolutla, and Casitas-Nautla. All of the fishermen interviewed noted that they used to see large herds of manatees in the area. Seventy-four percent (371 fishermen) of the survey respondents had not seen a manatee over the last 10 years, and 26% (131 fishermen) responded that the last time they saw large or small groups of manatees was in 1986 and 1995, respectively. However, since 1996, none of the fishermen had observed any manatees in the area. Similarly, no manatees were observed during the boat-based surveys (effort of approximately 1200km). It is almost certain that anthropogenic influences have altered manatee habitat significantly and thus affected the numbers of animals using the area. Also, fishermen speculated that natural phenomena such as cyclones, flooding, and storms caused manatees to move away from the area. More surveys along the coast of Veracruz are needed to determine if manatees still occur in this Mexican state. Also, it is urgent to implement conservation measures in the northern range of the manatee in Mexico to ensure the survival of this species along its original distribution.
Highlights
Material and MethodsWest Indian manatees are distributed from U.S east coast to Brazil (Lefebvre et al, 1989)
Interviewees noted that manatees were extremely common in the past and that they seem to have disappeared from the area
The only precise manatee records for the state of Veracruz are for the following rivers: Tecolutla and Nautla (Colmenero and Hoz, 1986; Ortega-Argueta, 1999) and in the Alvarado lagoon (Colmenero and Hoz, 1986; Portilla et al, 1999; OrtegaArgueta, 2000)
Summary
Material and MethodsWest Indian manatees are distributed from U.S east coast to Brazil (Lefebvre et al, 1989). In Mexico, their known distribution includes the states of Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, Quintana Roo and Chiapas (Colmenero and Hoz, 1986; Lefebvre et al, 1989). Manatees have been reported to occur along the entire coast of Veracruz (Colmenero and Hoz, 1986; Colmenero, 1991; Portilla et al, 1999; OrtegaArgueta, 2000). The knowledge about manatee distribution and abundance in this state appears to be imprecise (Colmenero, 1991; MoralesVela et al, 2003). The objective of this study is to update the information regarding manatee distribution and abundance along the northern coast of Veracruz. The study area consisted of the northern coast of Veracruz. It included places where manatees had been reported previously: three major river systems and one coastal lagoon. The rivers where our research took place included the Tuxpan, Tecolutla, and CasitasNautla rivers; the coastal lagoon of Tamiahua was surveyed (Figure 1)
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