Careiro, Iraê, Cairunã, Mawa and Kuana (the five manatees) were released on Lake Trapinho in the Piagaçu-Purus Sustainable Development Reserve, 175 kilometers from Manaus, after a period of adaptation in the institute’s semi-captivity.
Researcher Vera da Silva stated the success of the semi-captive system would rise if the manatees adapted to nature, henceforth releasing animals without a telemetry belt in the next reintroduction of 2018. Earlier editions of this study were less successful as the animals failed to adapt resulting in the creation of semi-captivity where manatees would remain for a year, keeping in contact with fish and turtles and a natural habit in general.
Monitored for more than 400 days, in a 13-hectare lake in Manacapuru, with satisfactory results such as weight gain, animals were exploring the environment well making the new system a fundamental success.
Monitoring
The telemetry belts are fitted with a VHF transmitter into the tails of the animals, this monitoring is important to verify the adaptation to the new conditions of life."With a receiver and an antenna, we can pick up a signal from the transmitters up to three kilometers away," explains biologist Diogo Souza, responsible for the Amazon Manatee Reintroduction Program. Monitoring assistant José Francisco Bastos stated the monitoring work is not easy but believes it is important to help with the preservation of the animals.
Manatee
The Amazon manatee is an animal only found in the rivers of the Amazon basin. They live for 45 years, weighing 450 kilos and measuring up to 3 meters, furthermore they are herbivores feeding only on grass and water based plants.Manatees are solitary creatures, reproducing after 10 years of age and only every four years in the time of the drought. Only one baby is born per 12 month gestation of a female, this makes the increase in population very limited.
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