Brazilian Journal of Nature Conservation Research Letters Natureza & Conservação 11(1):75-80, July 2013 Copyright© 2013 ABECO Handling Editor: Claudio Pádua http://dx.doi.org/10.4322/natcon.2013.012 What do Local People Know About Amazonian Manatees? Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Trichechus inunguis in the Oil Province of Urucu, AM, Brazil André M. Franzini 1,2 , D. Nataly Castelblanco-Martínez 2,3 *, Fernando C. W. Rosas 2 & Vera M. F. da Silva 2 1 Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências do Ambiente e Sustentabilidade na Amazônia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas – UFAM, Manaus, AM, Brasil 2 Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia – INPA, Manaus, AM, Brasil 3 Oceanic Society, Blackbird Field Station, Turnefe, Belize Abstract During 2005-2007, a series of interviews were carried out with the riverside populations of the Oil Province of Urucu (AM, Brasil). The main goal of this work was to characterize the knowledge of the inhabitants of this area regarding the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis) (listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List). Interviews were conducted with 74 local inhabitants from 33 communities. Between 2004 and 2007, 20 poached or entangled Amazonian manatees were reported in the area. Poaching with harpoon is the principal cause of mortality, but manatees are also incidentally caught in fishing nets. Interviewers described details of manatee hunting techniques in the area. The trade of manatee meat, although currently forbidden by Brazilian laws, still occurs in the area. Data obtained from the interviews suggest a dietary preference of the manatee for at least 29 species of aquatic and semi-aquatic plants. The interviewed fishermen showed a sound knowledge of Amazonian manatee biology and behavior. This information may be important to assist future conservation plans in the Amazon. Key words: Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Hunting, Amazon, Sirenia, Diet. Introduction Human activity and expansion in the Amazon region has exerted pressure on the Amazonian manatee, Trichechus inunguis, resulting in a reduction in the number of individuals (Rosas 1994). T. inunguis is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (Marmontel 2008). he study of wild Amazonian manatees is particularly complicated, due to their cryptic behavior, low population density, and complex habitats. Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), a culturally constructed knowledge that is passed through generations (Costa & Nunez 2011), can be considered an excellent source of information about elusive species, regarding distribution, migration, feeding habits and reproduction. herefore, information gathered from the local people can be used as a starting point for future scientiic research. his research aimed at assessing the conservation status of the manatee in the areas inluenced by oil activities in the Urucu Oil Province, and at describing how the local people perceive the manatee from a biological point of view. Material and Methods he study was carried out in Urucu River basin, located in the area of inluence of the Urucu Oil Province, Municipality of Coari, Amazonas State (Figure 1). he information was obtained through individual interviews with locals. his approach is the most widely-used data collection strategy in qualitative research, and assumes that if questions are formulated correctly, participants’ expressions of their experiences will relect their reality (Lambert & Loiselle 2008). herefore, we typically choose individual interviews to collect detailed accounts of participants’ thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge pertaining to the manatee. he three most relevant parameters of selection were: (i) experience in manatee hunting or any other direct contact with the species, (ii), years living in the area (age) (iii) community leadership. Regular visits to the communities were made in order to gain the trust of local residents, and thereby to obtain more conidentiality in the responses. *Send correspondence to: D. Nataly Castelblanco-Martínez Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Av. André Araújo, 2936, Petrópolis, CEP 69067-375, Manaus, AM, Brasil E-mail: castelblanco.nataly@gmail.com