In October, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) at the 16th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16) successfully lobbied to mandate 77 square miles of northern Puerto Rico as a marine protected area (MPA). This area is home to 14 endangered species, including the Greater Caribbean manatee. A 16-year grassroots effort in Puerto Rico is to thank for this ruling.
The Jardines Submarinos de Vega Baja y Manatí is home to coral reefs, mangroves, and a seagrass bed — ideal manatee nesting sites. The area is also a local economic hub with small-scale fisheries and an ecotourism industry. The protected area will still serve as the local community’s food and revenue source.
“This is a victory for the people,” Ricardo Laureano, a leading member of Vegabajeños Impulsando Desarrollo Ambiental Sustentable (VIDAS) — a group involved in the effort — said in a news release. “These ecosystems nourish us and sustain our quality of life. It took 16 years of hard work, starting in 2007, to get here. Over the years, we rallied neighbors, knocked on doors, and engaged local and national leaders to highlight the critical need to protect this Reserve.”
Other groups involved in Jardines’ protection include the Puerto Rico Sea Grant, Sociedad de Ambiente Marino, Surfrider Puerto Rico, Para la Naturaleza, and international partners like WCS.
Photo Courtesy Jakub Pabis
Since 2018, WCS has been working with the Caribbean Biological Corridor. The intergovernmental platform is home to countries of the Greater Antilles, where Caribbean manatees are the most populated. Caribbean manatees are also known as Antillean manatees.
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service says only about 13,000 manatees are left in the wild, with 7,000 being Antillean.
The other are Florida manatees; you can probably guess where they live. Antillean manatees live throughout Central America, the Caribbean, the Mexican coastline, and Brazil’s northeast Atlantic coast.
“WCS is honored to provide technical support that helps locally-led efforts like this one reach the national level, contributing to the successful designation of the Jardines MPA,” Pamela Castillo, WCS Marine 30×30 director, said in the news release. “We celebrate our partnership with the Caribbean Biological Corridor in advancing science-based, effective, and inclusive marine conservation, which brings us closer to the coalition of community groups in Puerto Rico led by VIDAS.”
The next step is a management plan now that the area is protected. “We aim to create co-management agreements that balance sustainable resource use, conservation, research, and eco-tourism,” Mariela Declet-Perez, leader of Descendants United for Nature, Adaptation, and Sustainability (DUNAS), said in a statement. “This will take time, but we are committed to supporting VIDAS and our local partners to ensure long-term success.”
Photo Courtesy NOAA
Further efforts have been made to save manatees. A group of 23 experts from six South American countries met to strategize on manatee conservation across the continent. This fall, a manatee conservation alliance was struck between the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Florida and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio. This coalition will work with local conservation partners in the Greater Caribbean.
“Each partner and range country offers unique expertise to help ensure the success of this impactful alliance,” Tom Schmid, Columbus Zoo president and CEO, said in a press release.
“From applying our skills in manatee care, veterinary services, and rehabilitation to providing financial support and developing engaging educational content, the Columbus Zoo plays a vital role.”
Manatees are listed as threatened, so the time for conservation efforts is now. With only 13,000 in the wild, they need to be protected from habitat loss. One type of manatee went extinct in the 18th century — Steller’s sea cow. The sea cow was wiped out by hunters in the Bering Sea after Arctic explorers discovered it only 30 years before. While tropical manatees aren’t being hunted, they still have to contend with construction, pollution, erosion, and boating accidents that harm them or their habitat.
This movement is also a testament to local action. VIDAS has successfully saved manatees’ homes for decades to come. “To other coastal communities around the world, our message is clear: never stop fighting for your ecosystems,” Laureano said.
