MMP

MARINE MAMMALS PROGRAM .

Aquasis Marine Mammals Program (PMM - Programa de Mamíferos Marinhos) is devoted to the study of aquatic mammals occurring in CE, particularly West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus) and Guiana Dolphin (Sotalia guianensis), both of which are endangered species with the highest mortality rates in Ceará.

Aquasis PMM is responsible for the rescue and rehabilitation of stranded marine mammals in CE and assessing the cause of death in the event of mortality, also collecting samples for various studies (contaminants, genetics, diet, health, etc.).

Stranded and orphaned manatee calves are translocated to Aquasis Marine Mammal Rehabilitation Center (Centro de Reabilitação de Mamíferos Marinhos) where, after undergoing a successful rehabilitation process, are eventually released back into their natural environment, preferably at or near their place of origin with the objective of helping to reestablish the local population. Cetaceans are preferentially rehabilitated in a natural environment, such as marine estuaries and coastal lagoons.

The Program supports a variety of conservation actions, ranging from beach monitoring to coordinating marine mammal stranding responders in coastal Ceará, with more than 950 animals rescued and cared for over the years.

Conservation strategies are supported by
four axes:

Rescue and Rehabilitation

Research

Public Policy

Environmental Education

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RESCUE

Response to strandings of live or dead cetaceans and sirenians in coastal Ceará. 24-hour attendance to calls reporting marine mammal strandings. The rescue team consists of biologists, veterinarians, and volunteers who travel to the stranding location and perform the appropriate procedures according to the status and size of the animal.

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REhabilitation

Live cetaceans are cared for and treated at the stranding location according to protocol and returned as soon as possible to the natural environment. Stranded West Indian Manatee calves are taken to the CRMM for full rehabilitation and subsequent release.

translocation

Translocation refers to the transport of rescued manatees from the CRMM in Caucaia/CE to the Acclimatization Enclosure in Icapuí/CE, so that they can carry out the final phase of their rehabilitation before being reintroduced to their natural environment.

Release

Following an acclimatization period in the open water enclosure in Icapuí/CE, the manatees are outfitted with telemetry devices (GPS and VHF) and released into the wild again.

monitoring

After acclimatization to a natural environment, the manatees are released with telemetry equipment (GPS and VHF) into the sea in Icapuí to live in the wild.