AMAZONIAN MANATEES, TRICHECHUS-INUNGUIS, IN PERU - DISTRIBUTION, EXPLOITATION, AND CONSERVATION STATUS

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.