First Region-Wide Aerial Surveys of Antillean Manatees

INTERNATIONAL MANATEE SURVEYMEXICO, BELIZE, GUATEMALA

MAY 2-11, 2014

• Countries Surveyed

• Mexico (May 2-4, 2014)

• Belize (May 5-8, 2014)

• Guatemala (May 10-11, 2014)

• Observers and other participants

• Mexico: Benjamin Morles-Vela, Humberto Bahena, Armando Ubeda

• Belize: Holly Edwards, Angeline Valentine, Samir Rosado, Armando

Ubeda, Nataly Castelblanco-Martinez, Zoe Walker, Nicole Auil-

Gomez

• Guatemala: Ester Quintana-Rizzo, Heidy Garcia, Oscar Hugo

Machuca

• Pilot: Bill Rush

INTERNATIONAL SURVEY

SURVEY STATISTICS

Survey days = 9

Start = Holbox, Mexico

End = Bahía de Omoa, Guatemala

Hours surveyed = 40

Segments flown = 11

Kilometers surveyed: 5229.8 km (3249.7 mi)

Mexico = 1189 km (739 mi)

Belize = 2962.8 km (1841 mi)

Guatemala = 1078 km (670 mi)

BELIZE SURVEYFLIGHT PATH

Day 1 = Turneffe Atoll

Day 2 = Northern Belize:Chetumal to Belize City

Day 3 = Central Belize: Belize City to Monkey River

Day 4 = Southern Belize: Monkey River to Guatemala border

SURVEY STATISTICS

• Number of manatees: 407 +18 = 425

• Mexico = 74 + 9 = 83 (19.5%)

• Belize = 290 + 7 = 297 (69.9%)

• Guatemala = 43 + 2 = 45 (10.6%)

• Number of dolphins = 36

• Mexico = 18 (50.0%)

• Belize = 16 (44.4%)

• Guatemala = 2 (5.0%)

•

BELIZE RESULTS• Survey days = 4

• Observers:

• Holly Edwards, Nataly Castelblanco,

Oceanic Society

• Angeline Valentine, Oak Foundation

• Samir Rosado, Coastal Zone Management

• Armando Ubeda, Lighthawk

• Pilot: Bill Rush

• Kilometers surveyed = 2962.8 km (1841 mi)

• Survey conditions = Very good to Fair

• Number of manatee: 290 + 7 = 297

• Number of dolphins = 16

• Watercraft

• Habitat Loss

• Pollution

• Shipping

• Oil exploration or spills

• Human development

• Climate change

• Diseases

THREATS TO MARINE MAMMALS “?”

CONSERVATION APPLICATIONS

MANATEES

36% of manatees sighted in protected areas

CaribbeanMPA

The CaMAM Mapping Projecthttp://campam.gcfi.org/CaribbeanMPA/mapview.php

CONSERVATION APPLICATIONS

DOLPHINS

83% of dolphins sighted in protected areas

CaribbeanMPA

The CaMAM Mapping Projecthttp://campam.gcfi.org/CaribbeanMPA/mapview.php

Belize City, BEL

Chetumal, MEX

Playa del Carmen

Marine-based pollution damage threat CaribbeanMPAThe CaMPAM

Mapping Project

MARINE BASED POLLUTION THREAT

Coastal Development threat CaribbeanMPA

The CaMPAM Mapping Project

Playa del Carmen

Chetumal, MEX

Belize City, BEL

COASTAL DEVELOPMENT THREAT