Although the maned seal or South American sea lion (Ottaria flavescens) is a non-endangered species(IUCN Red List: not endangered), some reports from researchers in South America in recent years have led to the status of individual seal populations being reconsidered. Maned seals are an aquatic species known to interact with human activities. Especially in the areas of fishing, aquaculture and tourism.
Due to these interactions, it is increasingly the case that seals either die in fishing nets as bycatch or are deliberately killed because they damage the nets of the fish farms and thus cause immense economic damage to the fishermen. Tourism has caused the habitat of the animals to be altered in such a way that the animals have to look for new areas.
Due to this issue, YAQU PACHA, in cooperation with Heidelberg Zoo, Amneville Zoo, and the Netherlands Zoo Association (NVD), financially supported an initial workshop on the status of this seal species in 2009. Recommendations from this workshop included numerous measures such as monitoring colonies throughout the range, identifying management areas, and determining the overall population and threats from fishing.
The goal of YAQU PACHA and the above-mentioned partners in Project Seals is to provide long-term support for these studies of South American sea lions in order to develop early conservation measures.
YAQU PACHA has already been active for 30 years together with different partners in South America or Latin America to protect aquatic mammal species. You can support our projects with a donation or membership. You can also learn more about our work in our videos.
Sea Otters | Information on Seals | Report on our Workshop Day 2 | Species Protection | Species that YAQU PACHA is working to protect | Project Manatees