Reoccupation of historical areas by the endangered giant river otter Pteronura brasiliensis (Carnivora: Mustelidae) in Central Amazonia, Brazil

Lima, Danielle dos Santos; Marmontel, Míriam; Bernard, Enrico

doi:10.1515/mammalia-2013-0023

Cited by 8 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…However, Carter and Rosas (1997) suggested that these numbers are underestimates, based on information from Schweizer (1992) for the southern portion of the Pantanal wetland, Brazil. Nowadays, few viable populations persist outside the Pantanal and the Amazonian regions (Chehébar, 1990), which is supported by recent surveys conducted in the Brazilian Amazon (Lima et al, 2013;Rosas et al, 2007), Pantanal 2 (Ribas, 2004;Leuchtenberger, 2012) and Araguaia River (see http://www.araguaia.org/ cantao/Projeto_Ariranha_2.html).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Distribution and status of giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) in the Pantanal wetland, Brazil

Tomás

Camilo

Ribas³

et al. 2015

Lat. Am. J. Aquat. Mamm.

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<p>The giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) is listed as vulnerable in Brazil, is included in Appendix I of CITES and is classified as endangered by the IUCN. In Brazil, few viable populations persist outside the Amazon basin and the Pantanal wetland. Furthermore, there is limited information on the distribution and abundance of the existing populations. The aim of this study was to estimate the abundance of giant otters in the Pantanal wetland and to discuss the conservation status of this population. From July 2000 to November 2011 we conducted surveys throughout the Pantanal to detect the occurrence of giant otters by the observations of active dens and latrines and the direct visualization of the otters. We also monitored giant otter population in five rivers, which allowed us to obtain information on number of individuals, group size and linear density. The species was found to occur in almost every river stretch within the Pantanal wetland, as well as in several aquatic habitat types, indicating a remarkable recovery since the over-hunting during the 1960s. The population of giant otter in the Pantanal may reach 3969 (SD = 1103) individuals, based on our estimated number of individual per kilometer of rivers and creeks (0.54 ± 0.15), over a total of about 7350km of rivers and secondary channels occurring in the Pantanal. These results indicate that the Pantanal is an important area to preserve the giant otter and its habitat, despite the many threats that the species still faces in the region, such as increased vessel traffic, pollution and siltation, as well as disruption of the hydrological characteristics due to the construction of dams and river-bed sedimentation.</p>

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Distribution and status of giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) in the Pantanal wetland, Brazil

Tomás

Camilo

Ribas³

et al. 2015

Lat. Am. J. Aquat. Mamm.

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“…Owing to their biology and behaviour, P. brasiliensis is more susceptible to persecution by fishers and hunters than L. longicaudis, whose populations persisted at low densities during this period (Pimenta, Antunes, et al, 2018). Since international trade restrictions and conservationist efforts were implemented in the mid-1970s, P. brasiliensis populations have shown signs of recovery in many parts of their range (Lima, Marmontel, & Bernard, 2014b;Pimenta, Gonçalves, Shepard, Macedo, & Barnett, 2018;Recharte & Bodmer, 2009), although in some regions this species is still considered extinct or nearly so, or with declining population trends (Groenendijk et al, 2015).…”

Section: Fishing and Harvesting Of Aquatic Resources/hunting And Collecting Of Terrestrial Animals: Intentional Usementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Araguaia River (Araújo & da Silva, 2014) Tocantins River (Paschoalini et al, 2020) Unknown Decline continent-wide. Variable trends along Amazon Basin, with some recovering populations (Groenendijk et al, 2015) Recovering: Brazil (Amanã Lake; Lima et al, 2014b); Içana River (Pimenta, Gonçalves, et al, 2018); Peru (Manu River; Groenendijk et al, 2014); Yavarí-Mirín and Yavarí rivers (Recharte & Bodmer, 2009); Bolivia (Northern La Paz; Ayala, Wallace, Viscarra, & Jurado, 2015) Declining: Peru (Madre de Dios, outside PAs; Mendoza et al, 2017)…”

Section: Inia Araguaiaensismentioning

confidence: 99%

Conservation of Amazonian aquatic mammals

Brum

Rosas-Ribeiro

Amaral³

et al. 2021

Aquatic Conservation

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Aquatic mammals worldwide are highly threatened in freshwater ecosystems where they are affected by direct human activities (e.g. hunting) as well as indirect human alteration of freshwater ecosystems (e.g. dams, mining activity). Although aquatic mammals of the Amazon Basin are experiencing many growing threats, little is known about the escalating impacts on them, current limitations in protection mechanisms, and possible strategies to ensure their conservation. This study synthesizes the available information on Amazonian aquatic mammals, including the ecological characteristics of these species, key threats, population status and conservation prospects. Amazonian aquatic mammals comprise seven species – Inia geoffrensis, Inia boliviensis, Inia araguaiaensis, Sotalia fluviatilis, Trichechus inunguis, Pteronura brasiliensis and Lontra longicaudis – which are characterized by low reproductive rates and keystone ecosystem roles. These species are endangered mainly by biological resource use, natural ecosystem modifications, energy production and mining, and climate change. Although information is sparse, there is evidence that these threats are inducing population declines of Inia spp., and hindering the recovery of populations of P. brasiliensis. Protection mechanisms for these species mostly include national and international laws and agreements, legislation governing environmental licensing and protected areas. Each of these protection mechanisms, however, has limited capacity to protect Amazonian aquatic mammals, largely because they are poorly enforced, lack transnational coordination or require population trend data that do not exist. Reversing the current state of affairs for Amazonian aquatic mammals requires an integrated research and policy approach that, at a minimum, substantially increases the present capacity to monitor their population responses to human impacts, establishes effective enforcement of existing legislation and prevents further impacts from hydropower development. To implement such an approach, information on the ecology of these species is necessary to create public and scientific awareness.

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“…Protected continent-wide, some populations are showing signs of slow recovery after the pelt trade era. Over the last few years, the reappearance of populations in Peru, Brazil (Amazonia, Cerrado and Pantanal), Colombia, Ecuador and Bolivia has been documented or observed (Recharte and Bodmer, 2009;Zambrana et al, 2012;Lima et al, 2013;Marmontel, pers. obs; this issue) 1,4 .…”

Section: Historical Perspectivementioning

confidence: 99%