Introduction
In October 2025, Petrobras began drilling into the seabed in the region where the Amazon River flows into the Atlantic Ocean, after a long and contentious environmental licensing process. At the center of the debate were concerns about the unique fauna that inhabits the coast of Amapá and Pará, as well as doubts about the company's ability to rescue animals in the event of an oil spill.
The West Indian Manatee: An Endangered Species
Among the potential victims of a possible oil spill are seabirds, turtles, and the coral reefs recently discovered off the Amazon coast. However, an endangered marine mammal causes special concern due to the challenges involved in a possible rescue: the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus), a species that can reach up to 3.5 meters in length and weigh an average of 700 kilograms; some individuals reach up to 1,600 kilograms.
“Handling and transporting animals of this mass requires complex logistics and large-scale equipment,” said marine biologist Fábia de Oliveira Luna, coordinator of the National Center for Research and Conservation of Aquatic Mammals (CMA), linked to the Ministry of Environment.
Consequences for the Manatee Population
With an estimated population of around 10,000 individuals and a reproductive rate of one calf every four years, “each individual removed harms the maintenance of the population,” said Luna to Mongabay.
Furthermore, the oil project also puts at risk a unique genetic code, shared only by the animals in this region and resulting from the cross between the West Indian manatee and its freshwater relative, the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis).
Conclusion
The Petrobras plan for the new oil frontier excludes the rescue of manatees, which could have devastating consequences for the population of these animals. It is essential that measures are taken to protect this endangered species and preserve the biodiversity of the region.
Source / Reference
This article was originally published on Mongabay