Social Behavior of Sotalia Fluviatilis (Gervais & Deville, 1853) (Cetacea, Delphinidae), in the Northern Channel of the Amazon River, Amapá, Brazil

Sotalia fluviatilis is known as “tucuxi” is endemic to the rivers of the Amazon basin, with aggregations of individuals at the mouths of rivers and canals, it is an almost endangered species and information about it is lacking in the state of Amapá. This study was aimed at monitoring the social behavior of S. fluviatilis in the northern channel of the Amazon River, Amapá, Brazil. Monitoring was carried out from a fixed point on the bank of the northern channel of the Amazon River, located in a Private Reserve of Natural Heritage. Ninety-six days of monitoring were carried out from a fixed point of observation, totaling 480 hours of sample effort. S. fluviatilis was frequently observed throughout the year in predominantly small groups formed mostly by two to three adult animals. Young individuals were observed in larger groups of four to six individuals, formed during activities such as feeding or for protection. Behavioral activities included slow and fast travel, which were in most cases associated with other behaviors, mainly foraging and socializing. The largest number of sightings of socialization occurred in the months of January and February, when river water levels are high. Studies on key species are essential for decision making, in order to optimize conservation strategies for this aquatic mammal in the Amapá. As a suggestion for conservation measures, it would be the distancing of vessels when they perceive a group of porpoises using the region, thus stimulating the conservation of the species.

MANUEL ANTONIO DE ANDRADE FURTADO NETO 1963 - 2019

Manuel Antonio de Andrade Furtado Neto foi um pesquisador pioneiro no campoda genética populacional, da conservação e evolutiva de vertebrados marinhos no Brasil.Ele foi um dos primeiros cientistas no país a aplicar a, hoje famosa, técnica de reação emcadeia da polimerase (PCR) a organismos aquáticos. Ele forneceu, na década de 1990, aprimeira evidência genética que sugeria que o boto-cinza (costa atlântica da América doSul) e o tucuxi (bacia amazônica) eram espécies distintas. Na época, o boto-cinza e o tucuxieram ainda considerados uma mesma espécie, Sotalia fluviatilis, e a divergência entre elesao nível de espécie, foi confirmada por outros colegas apenas na década seguinte. Tambémesteve na vanguarda da aplicação de técnicas de marcadores moleculares a outros organismosmarinhos do país, incluindo pargos, atuns, lagostas e tubarões. Entre estes, o estudoda filogenia molecular dos cações-anjo se destaca, tendo sido, até o momento, o únicoa gerar e disponibilizar publicamente uma sequência de DNA da espécie de cação-anjocriticamente ameaçada Squatina argentina.

Group Size, Habitat Use and Behavioral Ecology of Amazonian River Dolphins (Inia geoffrensis and Sotalia fluviatilis) in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, Peru

Presentation Title: River dolphins globally represent a highly at risk group of mammals. Most river dolphin species inhabit the world’s large rivers, which are also highly populated and heavily utilized. The focus of my research was on the two species of freshwater dolphins that inhabit the Amazon River, the boto (Inia geoffrensis) and the tucuxi (Sotalia fluviatilis). Currently both species are listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as ‘Data Defficient’, which means there is currently not enough information known about them to accurately assess whether or not they are endangered. Major gaps in research of these two species currently exist in many basic biological and ecological parameters. The focus of this research was to compare existing data on group size and habitat preference as well as determine the behavioral ecology of the two species of river dolphins. The research was conducted in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, Peru, which has a relatively high density of river dolphins. The reserve consists of many small tributaries, which are relatively understudied and so the conclusions drawn from this research will help guide future research and management decisions in other regions of the Amazon.