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Using traditional ecological knowledge to prospect the distribution of the Antillean manatee Trichechus manatus manatus (Sirenia: Trichechidae) in the states of Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

Abstract:

The Antillean manatee occurred along 3,000 km of Brazilian coastline. However, an approximately 1,100 km decrease in its distribution has been registered. This study sought to update the information on the distribution of the Antillean manatee based on traditional ecological knowledge between Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte States, Brazil. A total of 678 interviews were conducted. The question used to define manatee distribution was "When was the last time you saw a manatee in your community?" The responses allowed for the areas to be ranked into: Current, Recent, Historical, and Non-Occurrence. Based on the responses given, we have determined the current species distribution area to be between the municipalities of Aracati and Touros. Results confirmed previous occurrence of manatee along the Rio Grande do Norte coast, but in the municipalities of Fortim and Beberibe in Ceará, the interviewees have not seen the species in recent years. Results suggest that the distribution of this species along the eastern coast of Ceará may be decreasing and becoming fragmented. Thus, it is important to make efforts to confirm species distribution in the region, as well as to estimate population size and to understand the biology and ecology of the species.