Manatee watching is widespread and seasonally affected in Northeast Brazil: a case of the Endangered Trichechus manatus manatus (Sirenia: Trichechidae)

Abstract

Marine mammal watching is a non-consumptive wildlife-oriented tourism practice. Trichechus manatus manatus (hereinafter – Antillean manatee) belongs to the charismatic marine megafauna and is subject to this practice at many places. Here we investigated the Antillean manatee watching in Brazil, focusing on mapping this activity across the country, identifying hotspot areas, analysing the potential seasonality of this practice, and assessing the interactions between people and Antillean manatees. We used a social network as data source since this species often appears on social media. The species is charismatic and have characteristics, which attract public affection such as large body size, gentle behaviour, and distinct physical appearance. We detected Antillean manatee watching in 91 localities distributed across 19 municipalities and nine states in northern and north-eastern Brazil. We considered six localities as Antillean manatee watching hotspots because of their high number of associated images. Five of the hotspots were located within three Protected Areas for sustainable use. We found up to 23 people depicted in a single manatee-related picture posted on social network, but up to five people appeared in most posts (photos and videos). Furthermore, images were significantly posted mostly during the summer months, indicating seasonality in Antillean manatee watching. We classified the manatee-watching interactions collected as either prohibited or permitted by the Brazilian law. Permitted interactions were significantly more frequent, but the occurrence of prohibited interactions reveals the current lack of compliance with Brazilian regulations. We suggest that tourism management strategies prioritise Antillean manatee watching hotspot areas, focusing on reinforcing compliance with local regulations and preferably involving local residents to ensure the sustainability of this practice in Brazil.