Is captive breeding a priority for manatee conservation in Mexico?

Abstract

The Endangered Antillean manatee Trichechus manatus manatus is one of the most threatened aquatic mammal species in Mexico and the wider Caribbean region. The decline of this subspecies is mainly a result of historical exploitation and the impact of current coastal development. The conservation strategies adopted for the Antillean manatee include habitat protection, reduction of the most severe threats, and the rescue of stranded, orphaned or injured individuals and their management in captivity. This latter strategy has produced positive outcomes in some countries but has been the subject of controversy in others, including Mexico. We analyse the benefits and challenges associated with the management of captive manatees in Mexico, and the consequences of a lack of government policy and strategy for the post-rehabilitation release of individuals. We describe the evolution of this controversy from 1997–2017 in Mexico, analyse the consequences and implications for the conservation of the species, and propose an integrated management strategy that could address the issues raised. Although this strategy has been developed in the context of Mexico, it is applicable to management of this species across the Caribbean region.

Manatees in Zoological Parks throughout the World: History, State, and Welfare

“…We have not considered rehabilitation centres where manatees are temporarily kept under human care before being released. Information was gathered by reading scientific papers and books [18,20,21] and by visiting Internet websites (https://species360.org/ (accessed on 4 July 2023), https://www.zooborns.com (accessed on 4 July 2023), https://zooinstitutes.com (accessed on 4 July 2023), https://www.zoochat.com (accessed on 4 July 2023), https: //www.zootierliste.de (accessed on 4 July 2023)). We also talked directly to veterinarians working in zoos to have the list of manatees officially present in zoos in Europe and America.…”

“…Do manatees need to live in large groups, and with males and females together? Ortega-Argueta and Castelblanco-Martínez [20] suggest that animals that have spent a long time in captivity or are born in captivity become attached to their carertakers; they are docile animals and are more easily exposed to danger and in fine less able to survive in the wild. However, there is no evidence that differences in habitats, interactions, and social environment negatively impact manatee welfare.…”

“…For example, when human-reared manatees are reintroduced to their natural environment, they exhibit less severe responses, specifically avoidance, to anthropogenic disturbances than their wild conspecifics [33]. However, habituation of animals to people is potentially problematic as it may result in harmful encounters with them; manatees would benefit more from avoiding humans [20]. This example highlights the behavioural plasticity of manatees in changing environments and the fact that they can adapt and accommodate to human care when living in captivity.…”