2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
5/20/2019 | 2:30 PM - 2:45 PM | COMMUNITY-BASED CONSERVATION EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE LARGEST AMAZONIAN FISH ENDEMIC TO GUYANA, ARAPAIMA ARAPAIMA | 151 DEF
COMMUNITY-BASED CONSERVATION EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE LARGEST AMAZONIAN FISH ENDEMIC TO GUYANA, ARAPAIMA ARAPAIMA
In south-central Guyana, the Rupununi savannas and wetlands form a hydrological connection with the Amazon River during the rainy season. The dynamic nature of this corridor has influenced aquatic diversity creating an area of 100,000 km2 with more than 450 species of freshwater fishes. Several species are endemic to this region including, Arapaima arapaima, the largest freshwater-scaled fish on the globe. Reaching up to 3m in length and over 100 kg, this apex predator plays an important role in the ecosystem. Amerindians inhabiting this region live intimately connected to their environment and when arapaima populations began to decline in the late 1990s Rupununi communities stepped into action to conserve this species. With support from the government regulations were placed to protect arapaima. Despite these efforts illegal harvesting still impacted arapaima populations. To better patrol and monitor arapaima populations communities began a counting system and collaborated with scientists to initiate the first every radio-telemetry project tracking arapaima. This study resulted in a better understanding of arapaima's movement patterns in the Rewa River drainage, which allowed them to strategically prevent poachers from decimating arapaima populations and potentially create a new protected area.
- Fish
- Movement
- Population
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Presenters/Authors
Lesley de Souza
(), Field Museum of Natural History, ldesouza@fieldmuseum.org;
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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Nonfinancial -