The West Indian Manatee Trichechus Manatus

This important scientific volume comprehensively explores the biology and ecological status of manatees and dugongs in all of the geographic regions where they can be found today, from the Caribbean to Eastern Africa, from Arabia to the Amazon, and from Japan through the South Pacific to Australia. Many of these dwindling populations are situated in developing countries--locales that have previously received little attention in the scientific literature. In these areas, people occupying rivers or coastlines still capture sirenians for food and other uses (oil, bones for carving, leather). In addition, disruption, erosion, or complete loss of sirenian habitat occurs because of dredge and fill, coastal run-off, chemical pollution, and damage from boat propellers. Sirenian Conservation features contributions from an international group of scientists who are working to address the many challenges to manatee and dugong food supply, environment, reproduction, and survival. They share stories of programs that rescue, rehabilitate, release, and monitor these animals; offer reports on practical, replicable, and cost-effective management techniques; and summarize current research strategies.

This is a collection of papers presented at a 1992 technical workshop on manatee population biology, sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Department of Natural Resources. Topics covered include manatee research programs, techniques for studying manatee population biology, and reports of completed studies. The book concludes with recommendations from the workshop and a brief synopsis of pertinent work that has been published since the workshop.