Dead Manatee Found in Rio Hondo Sparks Conservation Concerns in Southern Quintana Roo

Chetumal, Quintana Roo — The discovery of a dead manatee in southern Quintana Roo has raised alarms about the growing threat boat traffic poses to the endangered Antillean manatee population in the region’s waterways.

Adán Caballero Vázquez, a researcher at the Center for Scientific Research of Yucatán (CICY), warned that increasing tourism and fishing activity is boosting maritime traffic, heightening the risk of collisions with the slow-moving marine mammals, which must surface frequently to breathe. The Trichechus manatus is listed as at-risk in Mexico.

Dead Manatee Found in Rio Hondo

More than a week ago, residents found a deceased manatee in the Rio Hondo near Javier Rojo Gómez (Pucté) in the municipality of Othón P. Blanco. Locals reported the discovery followed the passage of a boat and noted the animal had cutting wounds consistent with propeller impacts. Authorities have not yet released an official cause of death.

Chetumal Bay, a Key Habitat

Chetumal Bay is considered one of the main refuges for manatees in Mexico. The area is home to the Santuario del Manatí Bahía de Chetumal, a sanctuary established to protect the species’ natural environment. Implemented conservation measures include:

• Reduced-speed zones
• Recommended navigation routes
• Preventive signage
• Awareness campaigns
• Community monitoring and satellite tracking

Caballero Vázquez noted that, compared to other destinations in the Mexican Caribbean, the Chetumal region maintains a relatively harmonious coexistence between human activities and manatees due to fewer boats.

Record of Manatee Deaths in Recent Years

The researcher highlighted several previous incidents:

• 2020: At least five manatees were found dead within weeks in Chetumal Bay; boat collisions were cited as a probable threat in some cases.
• 2023: An individual was found floating with no visible impact marks.
• March 2024: A rehabilitated manatee named “Pompeyo” died from an acute internal infection after release.
• January 2025: Another dead manatee was reported in Chetumal Bay without a confirmed official cause.

Conservation and Ecological Balance

Caballero Vázquez emphasized that protecting manatees in Quintana Roo not only conserves an emblematic species of the Mexican Caribbean but also ensures the ecological balance of the lagoon systems that support biodiversity and tourism in southern Quintana Roo.