Rescue, Rehabilitate, Release: Saving the Amazonian Manatee

The Amazonian manatee, the only manatee species that lives exclusively in freshwater, is a remarkable yet endangered creature. These gentle, herbivorous mammals play a vital role in keeping the rivers and waterways of the Amazon healthy. Weighing up to 450 kg, these manatees are the smallest in their species and rely on their mother’s milk for the first two years of life.

• Endangered by Poaching: Amazonian manatees are critically threatened by poaching despite legal protections.
• Challenging Rehabilitation: Young manatees require specialized diets and careful monitoring to survive and thrive in the wild.
• Community Role: Local engagement and education are essential for sustainable conservation efforts.
• Tracking for Insights: Data from released manatees helps refine strategies for Amazon ecosystem protection.
• Hope for the Future: Successful rescues and releases show promise for the survival of Amazonian manatees.

Despite being protected by the Peruvian government through the National Action Plan for the Conservation of River Dolphins and Amazonian Manatees, implemented in 2018, these animals face significant threats. While they are not trafficked commercially, local poaching for their meat remains a major problem. Manatee meat can sell for as little as three soles per kilogram at places like the Belen Market in Iquitos.

One of the players in Amazonian manatee conservation is the Rainforest Awareness Rescue Education Center (RAREC), located at the 47th kilometre of the Iquitos-Nauta highway in the Peruvian Amazon.

RAREC’s founder, John Garnica, was a fish trader who lived in Los Angeles. He fell in love with the Amazon when he first visited it in 2007. Captivated by its beauty and diversity, he made it his life’s mission to protect the Amazon ecosystem. Among the many species he has dedicated himself to saving, the Amazonian manatee holds a special place in his heart.

"These creatures are just so vulnerable. They don't have any natural defence", says John.

The manatees RAREC released in 2023 came under RAREC’s care, and they were Greg and Jennifer in 2017. These manatees had been kept as pets before they came to the centre. They were already grown up and could eat an adult diet, which consisted mainly of aquatic plants like water lettuce, banana leaves, and putu putu. They never had any health problems and were released after 6 years of staying at RAREC. The conditions for their release were quite simple: plenty of food sources and previous successful manatee releases in this area.

The release of Greg and Jennifer marked the beginning of a two-year monitoring project. Every day, biologists monitored them by taking GPS signals so they could create a graph of their location and understand more about their migration routes. The other data shows water turbidity and plant growth, providing insights into their habits, migration routes, and the health of the Amazon ecosystem.

Following the success of Greg and Jennifer’s release, RAREC has continued rescuing and rehabilitating manatees. Two other manatees, Bui and Rick, came to the centre. Bui was found on a ship being trafficked with other fish in 2018. It was the first time someone was arrested in Loreto for animal trafficking. She weighed only 21 kilograms and was 5 months old. Rick, named after Rick Schwartz, the President of the Nashville Zoo, arrived at RAREC from a local fisherman’s house in Nauta. In his early years at the centre, Rick required a special diet.

John says, "In the first two years, electrolytes generally keep them hydrated. Also, you slowly start giving them human formula of Isomil, non-lactose baby milk, and then you begin to mix it with special milk for animals"

Rehabilitation of manatees is not easy. According to John Garnica, "the Manatees have delicate stomachs and very slow digestion. If something goes wrong, like changes in their milk or sudden temperature drops, their digestion slows down even more, and they fill up with gas, and they begin to float uncontrollably. If you see them floating for a long time, that's unusual, and it means they're in pain, often rolling onto their stomachs or sides.

When they move around too much, they might accidentally inhale water. Once water enters their lungs, it leads to further complications. Their lungs start to break down, and it becomes very difficult to treat. One problem leads to another, and when the lungs are affected, it's hard to help them recover."

Luckily, Rick and Bui didn't have major issues. They are currently living in the ponds on the centre's territory and will likely be released in 2025.

RAREC has also welcomed two more manatees, Newt and Maynas. Newt, named after marine mammal enthusiast Olivia Newton-John, was rescued by a local fishing community in January 2023. Only two months old when found, Newt was likely orphaned due to poaching. He is currently being bottle-fed and is expected to transition to solid food soon. Veterinarians and volunteers are working hard to encourage him to eat aquatic plants like huama and putu-putu.

One of the unexpected challenges RAREC faced during the rehabilitation of manatees was related to their diet. While bottle-feeding rescued manatees is crucial for their survival in the early stages, not all milk formulas suit their unique physiology. RAREC's founder, John Garnica, and his team discovered that large quantities of the special animal milk were causing kidney problems in Newt.

John explains, “We noticed that when we gave him larger amounts of this milk from abroad, his creatinine levels would rise, leading to kidney issues. It turns out that these animals have trouble processing the milk, which isn't widely discussed.” He points out that other rehabilitation centres had faced similar issues, but it took many years to identify the cause. During autopsies, veterinarians found kidney stones in manatees who had been fed large quantities of this imported milk, causing them to grow unnaturally large..

At RAREC, the high cost of imported milk helped avoid this problem. Since the team couldn’t afford to give it in bulk, they provided the formula in small portions, which prevented the health issues other centres had. “We never had any major issues because we were giving this milk in very small portions and the Isomil milk (soy formula) in larger portions,” says Kathya Ribbeck, COO of the centre.

However, as the centre began receiving more donations from volunteers, the milk became more affordable, and veterinarians started to give it more. That’s when the problems began. Only by reducing the imported milk for animals could Newt be cured. Now he is in the pool, and the team is looking forward to seeing him eat not only milk but also plants. Soon, he will be put with Maynas, another rescued manatee, to encourage more natural behaviour.

Maynas was rescued in 2016 when he was just one month old and weaned in 2020. He currently resides in a rehabilitation tank close to Newt and has had recent issues with colic, but the team at RAREC is carefully monitoring his progress.

The rescue and rehabilitation of Amazonian manatees wouldn’t be possible without the help of local communities and international experts.

During manatee releases, members of the local Yanayacu communities—especially children—were invited to witness and learn about the importance of manatee conservation. When Greg and Jennifer were released, all the children observed the process, asked questions, and gained valuable insights into the significance of protecting these creatures.

RAREC regularly holds environmental education workshops in communities like San Juan de Yanayacu to raise awareness about conservation. "We just need to explain to these people that by working in conservation or as tourist guides, they can gain much more than by destroying the Amazon rainforest as loggers," says John. He is sure education is the key to changing minds and actions regarding conservation in the Amazon rainforest.

With manatees like Rick, Bui, Newt, and Maynas preparing for future releases, RAREC remains committed to its mission of saving these magnificent animals. By releasing manatees into protected areas of the Amazon Rainforest, the RAREC team hopes these animals will reproduce, helping to ensure the species’ survival. Follow RAREC on Instagram.