2022News

Nationwide manatee census to be carried out

Planeta Azul is sponsoring the country’s first manatee census. Drones and small airplanes will be used. The Dominican Foundation for Marine Studies (Fundemar) has signed an agreement with the drinking water company for the nationwide census that will have a year’s long duration. The Embassy of Germany is backing the census. The event also has the approval of the Ministry of Environment.

Diario Libre reports that the census was announced during the opening of the Photography Exhibition: Under the Caribbean Sea – The Antillean Manatee” at the Agora Mall. The exhibition is open until 7 September, International Manatee Day at the Santo Domingo city shopping mall.

“We intend that the manatee become the symbol of the marine fauna in the Dominican Republic,” announced Planeta Azul. The company launched their official mascot, a manatee. “We want to create awareness for the conservation of this species,” said Diego Freire, general manager of the company.

Katrin Werdermann, adjunct head of the Embassy of Germany, said the embassy has been collaborating with Fundemar’s efforts in favor of the manatees since 2018.

Rita Sellares, director of Fundemar, said this will be the first time both specialized aircraft and drones are used. The aircraft will search for the manatees flying at the height of 200 meters. Rachel Plekaniec and Marvin del Cid will study the behavior of the manatees.

Other key participants in the census are the Anmari A. Ivarez-Aleman, research and conservation director of the Sea Aquarium of Clearwater, Florida; Fatima Ramis, assistant curator of conservation of the Jacksonville, Florida Zoo; Erick Ramos of the FINS Foundation of the United States and Omar Shamir Reynoso of the National Authority of Maritime Affairs of the Dominican Republic.

In 2017, the National Authority for Maritime Affairs carried out a first manatees census in the area north of Samana using commercial drones with eight sightings from Cosón to Punta El Anclón.

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Diario Libre

18 August 2022