Title
Analysis of body condition indices reveals different ecotypes of the Antillean manatee
Date Issued
01 December 2021
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Castelblanco-Martínez D.N.
Slone D.H.
Ramos E.A.
Alvarez-Alemán A.
Attademo F.L.N.
Beck C.A.
Bonde R.K.
Butler S.M.
Cabrias-Contreras L.J.
Caicedo-Herrera D.
Galves J.
Gómez-Camelo I.V.
González-Socoloske D.
Jiménez-Domínguez D.
Luna F.O.
Mona-Sanabria Y.
Morales-Vela J.B.
Olivera-Gómez L.D.
Padilla-Saldívar J.A.
Powell J.
Reid J.P.
Rieucau G.
Mignucci-Giannoni A.A.
Fundación Internacional Para la Naturaleza y la Sustentabilidad
Publisher(s)
Nature Research
Abstract
Assessing the body condition of wild animals is necessary to monitor the health of the population and is critical to defining a framework for conservation actions. Body condition indices (BCIs) are a non-invasive and relatively simple means to assess the health of individual animals, useful for addressing a wide variety of ecological, behavioral, and management questions. The Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus) is an endangered subspecies of the West Indian manatee, facing a wide variety of threats from mostly human-related origins. Our objective was to define specific BCIs for the subspecies that, coupled with additional health, genetic and demographic information, can be valuable to guide management decisions. Biometric measurements of 380 wild Antillean manatees captured in seven different locations within their range of distribution were obtained. From this information, we developed three BCIs (BCI1 = UG/SL, BCI2 = W/SL3, BCI3 = W/(SL*UG2)). Linear models and two-way ANCOVA tests showed significant differences of the BCIs among sexes and locations. Although our three BCIs are suitable for Antillean manatees, BCI1 is more practical as it does not require information about weight, which can be a metric logistically difficult to collect under particular circumstances. BCI1 was significantly different among environments, revealing that the phenotypic plasticity of the subspecies have originated at least two ecotypes—coastal marine and riverine—of Antillean manatees.
Volume
11
Issue
1
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Anatomía, Morfología Zoología, Ornitología, Entomología, ciencias biológicas del comportamiento
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85116377404
PubMed ID
Source
Scientific Reports
ISSN of the container
20452322
Sponsor(s)
Data from Cuba provided by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) was acquired in accordance with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit (MA791721) issued to the USGS/Sirenia Project and comply with USGS IACUC standards. USGS data collection from Cuba was conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Navy, Naval Station Guantánamo Bay. Manatee captures and health assessments in Isla de la Juventud, Cuba were conducted under special permits issued by CICA (Centro de Inspection y Control Ambiental): 75/2012, LH112 AN (7), 50/2015, 32/2015, LHNA (99)/2015. Data from Puerto Rico was obtained in accordance with USFWS Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit (MA791721) issued to the USGS/Sirenia Project and PRDNER permit (216-EPE-034). Captures in Mexico were conducted under research permits issued by SGPA/DGVS: 03144, 04513, 03670/06, 03675/07 (Mexican Caribbean) and d0/06, 01103/07, 00263/08, 01754/09, 04675/10, 02901/11, 03562/12, 05846/13, 11519/13, 00808/14, 00646-16 (Gulf of Mexico). Manatees captures in Belize were conducted under permits issued by the Belize Department of Forestry: BZ-CD/60/3/07, BZ-CD/60/3/10, BZ-CD/60/3/11, BZ-CD/60/3/12, BZCD/60/3/13(15), BZ-CD/72/2/05, BZ-CD1945, WL/2/1/18 (28), and FD/ WL/19 (20). Captures in Brazil were conducted under permits 25597-1 and 55433 issued by the ICMBio/SISBIO. The funding and in-kind support to conduct capture activities was provided by Wildlife Trust, Coastal Zone Authority and Institute, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Christopher Reynolds Foundation, The Eppley Foundation for Research, Mesoamerican Reef Fund, Bay and Paul Foundations, British High Commission, Conservation Leadership Program, Protected Areas Conservation Trust, the GEF-UNDP-CNAP, and Operation Wallacea (Cuba); Mesoamerican Reef Fund, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Wildlife Trust (Belize); Sea to Shore Alliance, Zoological Society of London, Harvest Caye Conservation Foundation, Disney Conservation Foundation, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Fund, New England Bio-lab Foundation, National Geographic Society, Liz Claiborne Art Ortenberg Foundation, and Oak Hill (Cuba and Belize); SEMARNAT-CONACyT (Project 2002-C01-1128) and Dolphin Discovery (Mexican Caribbean); The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund (Gulf of Mexico); ICMBio/Costa dos Corais Protected Area (Brazil); Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible, CVS, CARDIQUE, CORPAMAG, CODECHOCO, CORPOURABA, CARSUCRE, Alcaldías de Simití y Mahates (Bolívar), Yondó (Antioquia), Santa Ana (Magdalena), International Conservation Colombia, Fundación Alto Magdalena, UNEP, RAMSAR Convention, Barranquilla Zoo, and Uni-dad Administrativa Especial del Sistema de Parques Nacionales (Colombia). We are indebted to all the people and institutions involved in manatee captures for logistic and field support: Sylma M. Escobar, Carla I. Rivera (Caribbean Manatee Conservation Center, Puerto Rico); Eddy García, Lázaro García, Leandro Rodríguez and Jorge Angulo (Cuba); Daniel Robelo-Martínez, Rafael Estrada Anaya, Gerardo Rodríguez Martínez, Humberto Bahena Basave, and Roberto Sánchez Okrucky (Mexican Caribbean); Omacha Foundation staff (Colombia). Successful manatee captures would not be possible without the meaningful involvement of local communities in all the countries. Sylma M. Escobar, Carla I. Rivera, and Vanessa Méndez-Gallardo kindly illustrated figure 2. Last, we would like to extend our gratitude and respect to the late Drs. John Reynolds and Greg Bossart for their meaningful advice during the data collection. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus