Antillean manatees (Trichechus manatus manatus) are classified along with all West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus) as vulnerable to extinction (VU A2d1) according to the 2002 IUCN Red List; they are protected by CITES (The Convention on Trade of Endangered Species), and they are listed as endangered under Belize's Wildlife Protection Act of 1981 (Auil 1998). Belize has been described as the �last stronghold" for Antillean manatees in the Caribbean (O�Shea and Salisbury 1991), making protection of manatees in Belize important for conservation of the entire subspecies. Our research provides habitat and behavioral data on manatees that use the Drowned Cayes area near Belize City. These data are essential to decision makers if they are going to develop successful management strategies for continued conservation of Antillean manatees in Belize.
Historically, manatees have been taken for food in Belize (Lefebvre et al. 1985). Bone middens found at archeological sites on Moho Caye indicate high used by prehistoric cultures. In the 17th century, manatee meat hunted in Belize was provided to explorers and privateers (for details see O'Donnell 1981, Bradley 1983, and McKillop 1985). During the 1930s, Manatee Protection Ordinances were issued to protect the declining population; in 1981, manatees were included in Belize�s Wildlife Protection Act (Auil 1998). In 1998, the first Belize Manatee Recovery Plan was written. Our objectives specifically address research needs outlined in the Recovery Plan, which calls for research on behavior, habitat use, and movement patterns of manatees within the Drowned Cayes.
This research is necessary for development of a site specific conservation strategy. Given the taxonomic, climatic, environmental, and geographic differences, it is expected that the ecology and behavior of the Antillean manatee in Belize will differ from that of the Florida manatee. Conservation strategies developed in Florida, where manatee distribution and behavior are strongly driven by temperature and manatee mortality is highly impacted by watercraft activity, may not be generally applicable to this tropical subspecies in developing nations such as Belize.
This project is designed to be a comprehensive study that will collect much needed information on the habitat and behavioral ecology of the Antillean manatee in Drowned Cayes and will compliment ongoing research by James A. "Buddy" Powell in Southern Lagoon, and Gregory W. Smith near Basil Jones Reef. It specifically addresses research needs outlined in the Belize Manatee Recovery Plan (Auil 1998) and is modeled after successful site specific population studies in Florida (Hartman 1979, Bengtson 1981, Koelsch 1995). The Drowned Cayes study site offers a unique opportunity to address behavioral and ecological questions because of its variety of habitats, relatively clear water, and a consistent and relatively undisturbed population of free-ranging animals. Because of its close proximity to Belize City, increasing anthropogenic activities are occurring around the study site. This situation offers an opportunity to carefully monitor the population and assess and avert any adverse effects that may arise due to increasing human use of the area. Information generated by this research is shared with the Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute, the National Manatee Working Group, the Department of Forestry - Conservation Division, the Fisheries Department, and Friends of Swallow Caye, an NGO that co-manages the Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary, which lies within our study area. The data collected is used by these decision making agencies and NGOs in their on-going conservation and management activities.
Information is also disseminated to the general public through popular magazines and newsletters, to the local community through targeted outreach programs, and to the international scientific community through peer-reviewed journals.
Permits
We are currently working under research permit numbers CD/60/3/01 (47) and CD/60/3/02 (41) from the Ministry of Natural Resources, the
Environment and Industry, Forest Department, Conservation Division and an un-numbered Marine Scientific Research
Permit from Belize Fisheries Department valid February 2002-2003. The research permits were granted based on our
Proposal to Investigate the Ecology and Behavior of the Antillean Manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus) in the
Drowned Cayes area of Belize, C.A.
Funding
The Earthwatch Institute (http://www.earthwatch.org) has provided the majority of research funds for the project since
2001. Supplemental support has been provided by Virtual Explorers (http://www.virtualexplorers.org), an educational
outreach web based program that enables primary and secondary school teachers to take their students on
�Virtual Expeditions� around the world. Mr. Sidney Turton of Spanish Bay Resort, Mr. Mario Guerrero of Manta Ray
Charters, Texas A&M University, and the University of Massachusetts � Boston also provid support via in-kind
contributions and graduate assistantships. Preliminary support, important to the continuity of this long term
project was provided by the Conservation Action Fund - New England Aquarium
(2001), the Lerner-Gray Marine Science Fund - American Museum of Natural History (2000-2001), the Oceanic Society
(1998-2000), Mr. Sidney Turton (1998-2001), Ms. Jane Packard (1999), Texas A&M University, the University of Massachusetts
- Boston, and the National Science Foundation Graduate
Fellowship Program (1998-2001).
Manatee Protection in Belize
Manatees in Belize are listed as endangered under Belize's
Wildlife Protection Act of 1981.
The Belize Manate Recovery Plan was published in 1998. Excerpt: "Manatees could easily utilize space and resources of neighboring countries. It is therefore necessary
that protection reach not only a national level, but extend throughout the Wider Caribbean. A Regional Manatee Recovery Plan
has been published by UNEP, and individual countries were requested by UNEP to write one specific for their nation.
This is the first of such documents, produced through the Belize National Manatee Working Group with the
UNDP/GEF
Coastal Zone Management Project (CZMA&I). This Recovery Plan is a national one, local in nature, following the UNEP's outline.
As Belize is known to have the greatest population of the Antillean manatee in the Wider Caribbean, it is postulated that this
population may serve as a source for neighboring countries' populations. Therefore, protection here is essential for the
survival of the species within this region" (Auil 1998).
Manatee Protected Areas
Protected manatee habitat areas include Bacalar Chico, Southern Lagoon, the Bay of Honduras, and most recently,
Swallow Caye. Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary is especially important to Katie and I, because is encompasses the
northern third of our Earthwatch funded project, "The Ecology and Behavior of Antillean Manatees in the
Drowned Cayes Area of Belize."
Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary: Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary was signed into legislation on Wednesday, 10 July 2002. The Swallow Caye Sanctuary lobbying efforts began in 1998 and were spearheaded by Chocolate Heredia, of Caye Caulker. With tears in his eyes, the 73 year old "Chocolate" accepted his personal copy of the statutory instrument at a special ceremony last month. But, designating protected areas is just the beginning; much work is still in progress as diverse stakeholders must come to a consensus on setting and enforcing rules and regulations for the sanctuary.
Reported by Annie Seashore just before the official signing ceremony: "Chocolate's dream of setting up a manatee reserve is finally becoming a reality! On the 10th of July there will be an official signing ceremony for the inaguration of the Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary. It is approximately 7500 acres of sea and mangrove around the Northern Drowned Cayes and Swallow Caye. This area is only a few miles east of Belize City. The reserve will be co-managed by Friends of Swallow Caye and the Department of Natural Resources. Friends of Swallow Caye is a group of representatives from various government agencies and non-government organizations. It was put together to set up and operate the Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary. After the signing ceremony all the real work will start. Putting in buoys and signs and getting everything set up for the rangers that will be in the Swallow Caye area."
According to The Reporter (Belize City, 14 July 2002): "The endangered population of Belizean manatees has been helped by concerned Belizean conservationists with their home at Swallow Caye being declared a wildlife sanctuary. Tour guide Lionel "Chocolate" Heredia spearheaded this effort to protect the manatees' habitat. He observed the healthy population of manatee at Swallow Caye, but also now the area's increasing popularity for manatee watching and pleasure boat traffic were increasing the threat to the manatee population. He and other concerned tour guides who saw their livelihood endangered joined forces to form "Friends of Swallow Caye" and enlisted the help of area representative Patty Arceo, minister of state in the Ministry of Natural Resources. The efforts were finally rewarded when Minister of Natural Resources Johnny Briceno signed the statutory instrument declaring Swallow Caye and 8,970 acres around it a wildlife sanctuary. The signing took place at the offices of the Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute in Belize City on Wednesday." Belize, where manatees have been protected by legislation since the 1930s, may be the last stronghold for the Antillean manatee sub-species.
Enforcement
Although The Recovery Plan is a product of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Regional Co-ordination Unit of the Caribbean
Environment Programme (CAR/RCU) and
the Belize Fisheries Department (1995), the Conservation Division of the Forest Department is charged with enforcing
rules and regulations related to this endangered species in Belize. A National Manatee Working Group, organized by
the Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute, makes recommendations to the Conservation Division regarding rules & regulations,
protected areas, and issuance of
research permits. Unfortunatly, The Belize Manatee Recovery Plan is out of print and the document is not available in
electronic format. We have one
copy in Caryn's personal library.
