Low genetic diversity in manatees off South America raises alarm for conservation actions: Frontiers in Marine Science
By Suzanna Burgelman & Mischa Dijkstra, Frontiers science writers
► Read original article► Download original article (pdf)
‘‘Genetic diversity is critical for species to be able to adapt to changing environments and avoid inbreeding and needs to be considered to allow for long-term protection of species,’’ says coauthor Dr Margaret Hunter from the Wetland and Aquatic Research Center of the U.S. Geological Survey in Gainesville, Florida. “Here we show that manatee populations of Venezuela, Guyana and Brazil have some degree of interrelatedness but overall low genetic diversity.’”
‘‘These results make it possible for us to understand current genetic diversity of the Brazilian West Indian manatee population,’’ says coauthor Dr Fábia de Oliveira Luna from Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation – National Center for Research and Aquatic Mammals Conservation, Brazil. ‘‘We call on policymakers to improve the national action plan. An important action is the creation of new protected areas, which help establish biological corridors and promote gene flow. Another is to protect habitats where manatees give birth. Newborn calves have stranded along the Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte coastline of Brazil: upon rescue, these should be released into the genetic population of origin, or in gap areas without residing manatees. In contrast, captive breeding should be avoided for now as enough calves are born in the wild.”
Brazilian people rescuing a stranded Antillean manatee. Credit: the authors
