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Ramos, Eric Angel; Martínez, Nataly Castelblanco; Niño-Torres, Carlos A.; Gomez, Nicole Auil
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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 To determine which aquatic mammal species occur in Belizean waters, we conducted an extensive review of published and unpublished reports of aquatic mammals.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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Landeo-Yauri, Sarah Sofía; Ramos, Eric Angel; Castelblanco-Martínez, Delma Nataly; Niño-Torres, Carlos Alberto; Searle, Linda
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2020 |
Using small drones to photo-identify Antillean manatees: a novel method for monitoring an endangered marine mammal in the Caribbean Sea.
Endangered Species Research 41: 79-90. 2 tabs. 5 figs. doi.org/10.3354/esr01007 Jan. 30, 2020.
–ABSTRACT: Population assessments and species monitoring for many endangered marine megafauna are limited by the challenges of identifying and tracking individuals that live underwater in remote and sometimes inaccessible areas. Manatees can acquire scars from watercraft injury and other incidences that can be used to identify individuals. Here we describe a novel method for photo-identification of Antillean manatees Trichechus manatus manatus using aerial imagery captured during flights with a small multirotor drone. Between 2016 and 2017, we conducted 103 flights to detect and observe manatees in Belize, primarily at St. George's Caye (SGC) near the Belize Barrier Reef. Review of aerial videos from these flights resulted in 279 sightings of manatees (245 adults, 34 calves). High-resolution images of individual manatees were extracted and classified according to image quality and distinctiveness of individual manatees for photo-identification. High-quality images of manatees classified as sufficiently distinctive were used to create a catalog of 17 identifiable individuals. At SGC, 21% of all sighted adult manatees (N = 214) were considered photo-identifiable over time. We suggest that the method can be used for investigating individual site fidelity, habitat use, and behavior of manatee populations. Our photo-identification protocol has the potential to improve long-term monitoring of Antillean manatees in Belize and can be applied throughout clear, shallow waters in the Caribbean and elsewhere.
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Ramos, Eric Angel; Maust-Mol, Maria; Collom, Kristi A.; Brady, Beth; Gerstein, Edmund R.; Magnasco, Marcelo O.; Reiss, Diana
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2020 |
The Antillean manatee produces broadband vocalizations with ultrasonic frequencies.
Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 147(2): EL80-EL86. 1 tab. 3 figs. doi.org/10.1121/10.0000602 Feb. 5, 2020.
–ABSTRACT: Antillean manatees produce vocalizations reported to be important for communication, but their vocal behavior throughout their geographic range is poorly understood. A SoundTrap recorder (sample rates: 288/576?kHz) was deployed in Belize to record vocalizations of wild manatees in a seagrass channel and of a young rehabilitated and released manatee in a shallow lagoon. Spectral analysis revealed broadband vocalizations with frequencies up to 150?kHz and a high proportion of calls with ultrasonic components. Ultrasonic frequency components appear prevalent in their vocal repertoire and may be important to manatee communication.
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Bibliography and Index of the Sirenia and Desmostylia 