Rr. Reeves et al., AMAZONIAN MANATEES, TRICHECHUS-INUNGUIS, IN PERU - DISTRIBUTION, EXPLOITATION, AND CONSERVATION STATUS, Interciencia, 21(6), 1996, pp. 246
Amazonian manatees, Trichechus inunguis, are regularly hunted and trap
ped in the blackwater lakes and streams within and near the Pacaya-Sam
iria National Reserve in northeastern Peru. Much of the exploitation o
f manatees in this region is ancillary to the capture of paiche, Arapa
ima gigas. Manatees are also hunted opportunistically and taken incide
ntally in fishing gear elsewhere in Peru. While the current conservati
on status of manatees is uncertain, there is no doubt that their effec
tive range has shrunk and their numbers have declined to a considerabl
e extent. Although the species has been legally protected since 1973,
exploitation for local consumption of meat has continued without any p
ractical restrictions. If human activities are not managed to reduce t
heir impact on manatees, these valuable animals will be extirpated thr
oughout an ever-greater percentage of their range.