Flagship Species: Manatees as Tools for Mangrove Conservation in Northeast Brazil

Abstract

Public support to conservation is motivated by factors such as the desire to preserve/exploit the economic value of nature, moral concerns about the treatment of sentient animals, or appreciation of nature’s aesthetics. Species that are particularly well suited to mobilize public support, raise awareness, and stimulate conservation actions are often referred to as flagship species. The Antillean manatee is an endangered aquatic mammal that inhabits tropical and subtropical bays, lagoons, and estuaries of the Western Atlantic. They frequently enter mangrove habitats searching for food and freshwater and may use the area as nursery habitats. Habitat loss is a major threat to extant populations and mangrove degradation generates a high frequency of stranding of dependent pups. Between 1994 and 2009, the manatee reintroduction program already rescued and rehabilitated 46 individuals, successfully releasing 76% of them. Ecotourism based on manatee watching at Tatuamunha River, Alagoas State, has been a successful strategy for promoting conservation and providing opportunities for social inclusion of local communities. The presence of a large and charismatic marine mammal provides a unique opportunity for raising conservation awareness, promoting ecotourism and scientific research, mobilizing conservation funding, and engaging local populations, making manatees an ideal flagship species to the conservation of mangroves of northeast Brazil.