University of Massachusetts Amherst ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014 1-1-1983 An educational approach to create an awareness and understanding of the marine mammals that inhabit the waters of Puerto Rico. Juan Carlos Jimenez University of Massachusetts Amherst Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_1 Recommended Citation Jimenez, Juan Carlos, "An educational approach to create an awareness and understanding of the marine mammals that inhabit the waters of Puerto Rico." (1983). Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014. 4130. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_1/4130 This Open Access Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014 by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. For more information, please contact [email protected]. AN EDUCATIONAL APPROACH TO CREATE AN AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE MARINE MAMMALS THAT INHABIT THE WATERS OF PUERTO RICO A Dissertation Presented By Juan Carlos Jimenez Submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Massachusetts in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION February 1983 Education Juan Carlos Jimenez © All Rights Reserved 11 AN EDUCATIONAL APPROACH TO CREATE AN AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE MARINE MAMMALS THAT INHABIT THE WATERS OF PUERTO RICO A Dissertation Presented By Juan Carlos Jimenez Approved as to style and content by: Gloria de Guevara, Ed.D., Chairperson MArio Fantani, Dean School of Education iii Dedications: To Jean, who has earned this degree as much as I. To my parents, Juan Jimenez and Conchita Guillen, for making my education possible. To the memory of Angela Guillen, a mother, as well as a compassionate human being. She provided me with inspiration and guidance for which I shall always remember her. IV ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The completion of this dissertation would have been impossible without the assistance and cooperation of a great many people. In particular, I wish to thank my advisor, Dr. Gloria de Guevara, for her genuine interest, support and guidance throughout my years at the University of Massachusetts. Special gratitude is reserved for the other members of my committee for their advise and review of the manuscript: Dr. Sonia Nieto, and Dr. Jesse Ortiz. Special thanks are due to Jim Langone, who provide me with a place to live, to work, and friendship. And to my wife, Jean, who sometimes believed in me more than I believed in myself. ABSTRACT AN EDUCATIONAL APPROACH TO CREATE AN AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE MARINE MAMMALS THAT INHABIT THE WATERS OF PUERTO RICO Juan Carlos Jimenez B.S., University of Massachusetts M.Ed., University of Massachusetts Ed.D., University of Massachusetts Directed by: Gloria de Guevara The primary purpose of this research is to create an awareness and a better understanding of the marine mammals (whales and manatees) that inhabit the waters surrounding. Puerto Rico. While some research has been done in Puerto Rico in the past on whales and manatees, this has been on a very limited scale. During the past years several beached and stranded marine mammals have been found in Puerto Rico but because of a lack of knowledge and/or interest little or no data was collected. A necropsy of these mammals may have provided vital information for the conservation of these threatened species. vi These problems are further aggravated because of a lack of information to the public in this particular area. There is definitely a gap between the scientific research done in the past, and what the public knows. The objectives of this study are to develop a better public understanding of the current population of marine mammals in the area; to determine the distribution and abundance of marine mammals in the area; and to train students, fishermen and volunteers so that they can assist with the research. Fishermen, who are perhaps our best observers at sea, and volunteers were trained to help with the sightings. Surface and aerial censuses were done on both manatees and whales. The information generated from these studies was disseminated to the general public, government agencies, schools and universities. This was achieved through lectures, workshops, and exhibits. Over sixty lectures were offered throughout the Island. The medie (television, radio, and newspaper) contributed by exposing this awareness program to the general public. Important findings were the location of a fairly stable population of manatees and two species of whales Vll were spotted at months that differed from previous studies. This was accomplished with the help of local fishermen. As a result of the lectures and educational programs the public has become more aware of these marine mammals. A network of volunteers, interested in marine mammals, has been started. If the population here is educated and informed the chances for survival of these animals will increase. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Chapter I. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW . 1 Statement of the Problem . 3 Lack of Formal Education . 5 Marine Education in the Bilingual Program . 7 Lack of Public Education . 10 Lack of Scientific Research . 13 Purposes of the Study . 17 Significance of the Study . 18 Delimitations of the Study . 19 Methodology . 19 Instrumentation . 20 Organization of the Study . 22 II. SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH . 24 Introduction . 24 Marine Mammals . 25 Cetaceans . 29 Sirenians . 33 Population Dynamics Methodology of Surface Studies . Methodology of Aerial Census . Strandings . Methodology . HI. EDUCATIONAL-TRAINING 65 Department of Natural Resources 67 Junta de Calidad Ambiental . 70 Police Marine Patrol . 72 73 Fishermen . 83 Universities . Students and Volunteers . 83 IX IV. PUBLIC EDUCATION . 86 Introduction . 86 Methodology . 90 Public Schools . 93 Private Schools . 99 Universities . 103 Public Education . 106 Media . 114 Newspapers . 115 Television . 118 Radio . 120 Assessment of Efforts . 121 V. RESULTS . 124 Marine Mammal Research Foundation of Puerto Rico . 128 Recommendations . 130 BIBLIOGRAPHY . 135 APPENDIX . 142 x LIST OF TABLES 1. Whale and Dolphin Sightings (1981-82) in Waters Around Puerto Rico . 37 2. Manatee Sightings (1981-82) in Waters Around Puerto Rico . 38 3. Fishing Centers in Puerto Rico . 76 4. Lectures—Elementary Schools . 96 5. Lectures—Secondary Schools . 97 6. Marine Mammals' Related Materials Available at Libraries and Book¬ stores in Puerto Rico . 101 7. Lectures—Universities . 105 8. Questionnaire Results—Marine Mammals . 107 9. Lectures—General Public . 110 xi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 1. X-ray of the flipper of a Right whale showing the five digits. 27 2. Humpback whale breaching . 41 3. A Fluke of a Humpback Whale. 44 4. A Fluke of a Humpback Whale. 44 5. Flipper or Pectoral Fin of a Humpback Whale . 45 6. Flipper of a Humpback Whale. 45 7. Flipper of a Humpback Whale. 46 8. Flipper of a Humpback Whale. 46 9. Dorsal Fin of a Humpback Whale. 47 10. Dorsal Fin of a Humpback Whale. 47 11. Dorsal Fin of a Humpback Whale. 48 12. Dorsal Fin of a Humpback Whale. 48 13. Harbor Porpoise being measured . 59 14. Squid found in the stomach of a Pilot whale . 62 15. Beached Pilot whale attracts a crowd (Newfoundland, Canada) . 66 16. Poster of Whales in Puerto Rico . 82 17. Marine Mammals Exhibit . 113 18. Marine Mammals Exhibit . 113 19. Announcement of a Conference in a local newspaper . 122 20. Audience at a lecture.125 21. Audience at a lecture.125 22. Children holding the tracing of a Humpback whale's flipper . 132 xii GLOSSARY baleen, false teeth, made of a horny substance in the upper jaw of baleen whales. They are used to strain the whale's food from the water. beached: to run ashore or aground blowhole: nose (nostril) of the whale at the top of the head. blubber: the fat of the whale that is between the skin and the muscle. calf: the young (baby) of a whale or manatee cetacean: an order of aquatic mammals, consisting of the whales, dolphins, and porpoises echolocation: a process that is used by an animal (as a bat or a dolphin) to orient itself and avoid obstacles especially in the darkness and that involves emission of high frequency sounds which are reflected back. flipper: a broad flat limb adapted for swimming flukes: the broad horizontal tail of a whale habitat: the environment to which an organism is adapted necropsy : post-mortem examination, autopsy port: the left side of a ship looking forward starboard: right side of a ship looking forward stranded: see beached. CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW It is of great importance that the general public is given the opportunity to experience consciously and intelligently, the efforts and results of scientific research. It is not sufficient that each result be taken up, elab¬ orated, and applied by a few specialists in the field. Restricting the body of knowledge to a small group deadens the philosophical spirit of a people and leads to spiritual poverty. - ALBERT EINSTEIN The primary purpose of the research proposed in this study is to create an awareness and a better understanding of the marine mammals1 that inhabit the waters surrounding Puerto Rico. It addresses the need to study and evaluate these animals. Some research has been done, but on a very limited scale in Puerto Rico concerning the cetaceans and the man¬ atees. Over the past few years, several beached and stranded marine mammals have been found in Puerto Rico but because of a lack of knowledge and/or interest little or no data was collected. Therefore, these strandings have gone unnoticed. term "marine mammals” refers throughout this study the and manatees. exclusively to whales, dolphins 1 2 These problems are further aggravated by a lack of available public information in this particular area. In order to protect the manatees and the whales, it is imperative that the public and government agencies be edu¬ cated and made aware of the population, the habits and the behaviors of these animals.