Personality traits in captive Antillean manatees (Trichechus manatus manatus) in Brazil and perspectives for the release of individuals

Lucchini, Karen; Val, Helena G.P. do; Umeed, Rebecca; Azevedo, Cristiano S. de; Attademo, Fernanda Löffler Niemeyer; Melo, Lucas I. dos S.; Oliveira Luna, Fábia de; Bezerra, Bruna

doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2023.106031

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…This play activity was also observed during interactions with conspecifics or with other species including humans [16]. However, manatee temperament [36,37] may modify social interactions, play behaviours, and manipulations of social or physical objects. While some manatee individuals have been acknowledged for their curiosity and cognitive prowess, it is possible that certain individuals are more social, inquisitive, and bolder and could benefit more from social enrichment than their shier and less interactive counterparts [36].…”

Section: Manatee Cognition (Learning Abilities Personality Interactions)mentioning

confidence: 67%

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

Henaut,

Delfour

2023

Animals

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The order Sirenia comprises several species of manatees and one species of dugong. These popular marine mammals are relatively recent acquisitions to zoological parks throughout the world. As far as we know, there are less than 200 manatees, mostly American, a few African, and ever less Amazonian, currently in zoological parks. American manatees are predominantly found in zoos in Europe, North America, and in some Asian countries, while African ones are present exclusively in Asian zoos. The living conditions of captive manatees differ considerably from zoo to zoo (i.e., numbers, sex ratio, outdoor vs. indoor habitats, complex vs. simple habitats). Most research on manatee behaviour has been relatively recent, and studies on cognition, sociality, and ecology have a significant impact on our perception of manatee needs and management, with wider implications for their welfare. In the wild, manatees demonstrated various cognitive capacities; spatial memory and learning abilities play an important role in their daily life in a complex and dynamic environment. Furthermore, there is evidence that these mammals are more social animals than expected. Individuals show various personality traits on the boldness–shyness continuum and their sociality varies. All those parameters are important in terms of animal welfare. Several behavioural studies showed that standardized enrichment programs benefit and ensure the welfare of captive zoo animals. However, obtaining accurate information on the presence of manatees in zoos, living conditions, management, and consequently welfare remains challenging. This study examines the current knowledge on manatee behaviour and cognition and then discusses different approaches to improving the welfare of this charismatic marine mammal in zoological parks.

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Section: Manatee Cognition (Learning Abilities Personality Interactions)mentioning

confidence: 67%

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

Henaut,

Delfour

2023

Animals

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“…Additionally, factors such as individual personality, or temperament, also play a role in animal movement behaviour, as the boldness of an individual may determine how quickly it explores new habitats (Nilsson et al, 2014). Boldness-shyness traits was recorded in captive Antillean manatees and individuals characterized as bolder displayed more and longer approach and more contact towards stimuli (Charles et al, 2022;Lucchini et al, 2023). In our study, distinct exploration behaviours were observed among individuals, with some bold and rapid movements (e.g., Sereno), while others (e.g., Telinha) displayed more cautious behaviour, taking longer to venture beyond the acclimation area.…”

Section: Home Range Size and Daily Travel Ratesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long‐term tracking reveals the influence of body size and habitat type on the home range of Antillean manatees (Trichechus manatus manatus)

Normande,

Borges,

Attademo

et al. 2024

Aquatic Conservation

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Antillean manatees (Trichechus manatus manatus) are endangered coastal, marine, and riverine megaherbivores with high environmental plasticity, constrained by tidal and seasonal water level cycles that affect access to food and fresh water. Accurate quantification of the species' habitat requirements, typically achieved through home range (HR) estimation, is required to implement area‐based conservation initiatives. In this study, we used GPS tracking data from 38 wild and captive‐rehabilitated released manatees to estimate HR using autocorrelated kernel density estimators (AKDE) and average time speed. We investigated whether body size, habitat type, sex and behavioural group influence home range size due to energy requirements, resources availability, a scramble‐competitive polygyny mating system, and adaptation to the wild. Eighteen manatees exhibited range‐resident behaviour, with a mean 95% home range of 72.96 km2 (± 218.52) and a median of 10.69 km2. The mean daily speed was estimated to be 13.47 km/day (± 4.16). Home range and body size were positively correlated, consistent with HR allometry theory. Long‐term tracked individuals showed a trend of increasing HR over time. Only four released animals (17.4%) were range‐resident, suggesting that they may need additional time to establish a home range. Individuals using only the marine environment had larger home ranges compared to mixed (marine and estuarine) and estuarine environments, probably due to freshwater availability. Our study contributes to the understanding of the factors driving manatee movement and provides more accurate estimates of area requirements, which can inform the establishment and zoning of marine protected areas.

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Personality traits in captive Antillean manatees (Trichechus manatus manatus) in Brazil and perspectives for the release of individuals

Cited by 2 publications

References 39 publications

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

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

Long‐term tracking reveals the influence of body size and habitat type on the home range of Antillean manatees (Trichechus manatus manatus)

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