After a long period of rehabilitation, we finally released two manatees back into the wild in April 2023. Since 2015, RAREC has been rehabilitating Greg and Jennifer, whose names are in honor of Dr. Gregory Bossart and his wife Jennifer Bossart, a very well-known researcher in the field of aquatic mammals whose support made this release possible. Greg and Jennifer where rescued from a personal collection of a former governor of Iquitos and brought to our center.

Amazonian Manatees are considered as vulnerable according to the IUCN Red List. The population of Manatees in the amazonian Rainforest is rapidly decreasing due to poaching. Around Iquitos poaching is one of the primary causes of biodiversity loss due to lack of education and poverty.

This release marked the beginning of a two-year research project to monitor their daily movements. Since little is known about Amazonian manatees, RAREC hopes this research will provide valuable insights into their behaviors, migration patterns, habitat preferences, and the environmental factors affecting their survival. Understanding these aspects will help guide conservation efforts, inform decision-making, and support long-term habitat protection.

In 2024, we unexpectedly lost Gregory’s tracking device signal. Despite tireless efforts to recover it, including investing in specialized equipment and even renting a plane to search the area, we have yet to reestablish the connection. This signal is crucial for continuing our research and gaining deeper insights into the species’ movements.

However, the release site was carefully assessed beforehand. In collaboration with the Grand Amazon Lodge, which also served as our research base post-release, we chose a protected natural reserve around the Yanayacu River. Given this precaution and the favorable environment, we believe Greg and Jennifer are doing well in their new home.

In addition the rescue and rehabilitation process of Greg and Jennifer inspired our education program. We hope to prevent the source of the problem through workshops and providing alternative income sources to prevent the source of the problem, poaching. In our shop you can find Manatee Keychains, handcrafted by local communitys themself. The income generated from each purchase goes directly towards those families.

We want to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who made this project possible. A special thanks to Diogo de Souza, an Amazonian manatee specialist, and Sarah Farinelli, an expert in manatee tracking and monitoring. We are also incredibly grateful to our international allies for their invaluable advice, financial support, and encouragement throughout this journey, including Save the Manatee Club, Nashville Zoo, Georgia Aquarium, and the Grand Amazon Lodge.

Your support is essential to continuing our work, and we remain hopeful that this research will pave the way for a brighter future for Amazonian manatees.