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Edwards, Holly H.; Stone, Suzanne B. P.; Hines, Ellen M.; Gomez, Nicole Auil; Winning, Birgit E.
(detail)
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2014 |
Documenting manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus) presence at Turneffe Atoll, Belize, Central America and its conservation significance.
Caribbean Jour. Sci. 48(1): 71-75. 1 fig.
–ABSTRACT: Belize in Central America supports one of the largest populations of endangered Antillean manatees in the Caribbean. In 2012, a country–wide survey resulted in the highest count ever recorded (507 manatees). Manatee use of atolls has only been documented at Turneffe Atoll in Belize. Manatees in Belize, including those that use Turneffe, have been shown to be impacted by human activities including habitat degradation, entanglement in fishing gear, poaching, and watercraft. The atoll itself faces threats to its diversity and productivity. In 2002, the Oceanic Society began monitoring manatees on Turneffe to document numbers, distribution, and seasonality of use to facilitate the atoll's designation as a protected area. Since 2002, 52 sightings of manatees have been recorded at Turneffe, including cow/calf pairs, indicating it is an important part of the resource network used by the manatees. Protecting the atoll should be a priority for all working to protect manatees and Belize's natural resources.
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Ramos, Eric Angel; Martínez, Nataly Castelblanco; Niño-Torres, Carlos A.; Gomez, Nicole Auil
(detail)
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2016 |
A review of the aquatic mammals of Belize.
Aquatic Mammals 42(4): 476-493. 2 figs. 1 tab. DOI 10.1578/AM.42.4.2016.476
–ABSTRACT: Characterizing species occurrence, abundance, and distribution is critical to the management of natural resources and the conservation of biodiversity. In the Western Caribbean, little information exists on the occurrence of aquatic mammals along the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System and adjacent aquatic ecosystems. Herein, we present the first comprehensive review of aquatic mammals encountered in the marine and freshwater habitats of Belize. To determine which aquatic mammal species occur in Belizean waters, we conducted an extensive review of published and unpublished reports of aquatic mammals. We located 163 unique reports from museum and animal collections, journal articles, theses, news reports, conference proceedings, institutional reports, and verified accounts from personal observations. Our review confirms the presence of 17 aquatic mammal species in Belize: 15 cetaceans (Megaptera novaeangliae, Balaenoptera physalus, Ziphius cavirostris, Physeter macrocephalus, Kogia breviceps, Orcinus orca, Pseudorca crassidens, Globicephala macrorhynchus, Peponocephala electra, Stenella attenuata, S. clymene, S. frontalis, S. longirostris, Steno bredanensis, and Tursiops truncatus), one sirenian (Trichechus manatus manatus), and one carnivore (Lontra longicaudis annectens). Our findings provide the most up-to-date list of aquatic mammal presence in Belize. Given the limited data points obtained for most identified species, we recommend that systematic studies be conducted to investigate the status of the variety of aquatic mammals in the region to effectively monitor populations and devise strategies to mitigate the negative impacts of anthropogenic activity and climate change-related ecosystem shifts.
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Bibliography and Index of the Sirenia and Desmostylia 