Rare species live in an area targeted by an oil company in the Amazon

By Adrisa De Góes – From Cenarium

MANAUS (AM) – The Amazon River Mouth is home to a massive system of corals, sponges, fish, and crustaceans. This was confirmed in 2016 by Brazilian scientists during an oceanographic study conducted in the area, which is targeted by Petrobras for oil exploration.

At the time, the discovery was reported in the journal Science Advances, which showed that Amazon corals resemble other reefs distributed along the Brazilian coastline, with the unlikely distinction of developing in murky waters, with little light, and at depths of up to 120 meters (m). Under normal conditions, coral formations thrive in shallow waters with greater sunlight exposure.

The lead author of the study is Rodrigo Leão Moura, a professor at the Institute of Biology at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). He led the research that identified an approximate extension of nearly 1,000 kilometers (km) and an area of 9,500 square kilometers (km²) of reefs, stretching from northern Maranhão to the border with French Guiana.

The vastness of the Amazon reef is made up of sections of calcareous algae, black or red corals, and fields of giant natural sponges that can grow over two meters long, in addition to sandy areas covered with green algae and calcareous structures that can reach up to 20 meters in height. Researchers estimate that only 5% of this large system has been scientifically investigated so far.

Other species

In the area targeted by Petrobras, there are animals threatened by exploitation, such as the pink shrimp, the pistol shrimp, the red lobster, and the uçá crab. A report from the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) also identifies 23 species of marine mammals, including whales, river dolphins, and two species of manatees.

Among the species living in the estuary region, some are endangered in Brazil, such as the boto-cinza (gray river dolphin), boto-vermelho (pink river dolphin), sperm whale, Amazonian manatee, marine manatee, and giant otter. The document cites the existence of at least 114 species.

“The region is home to endemic and endangered species and, most likely, species that are still unknown or not locally recorded, given the vast newly discovered reef ecosystem under the Amazon River mouth plume,” says Ibama president Rodrigo Agostinho in his statement.

Threat to quilombolas and riverine communities

At the end of 2022, the Federal Public Ministry of Pará (MPF-PA) and Amapá issued a joint recommendation to Ibama and Petrobras, already suggesting the suspension of offshore drilling in the Amazon River mouth. The agency pointed to the extent of impacts on the riverine and quilombola communities living in Pará.

The quilombola communities of Abacatal and Aurá, in Ananindeua (PA), would be the first to be affected by waste from the activity. Meanwhile, the riverine community of Pirocaba, in Abaetetuba (PA), would suffer impacts on fishing activities.

The MPF also explains in the document that the Karipuna, Palikur-Arukwayene, Galibi Marworno, and Galibi Kali’na peoples will be affected by the oil company’s investment. There is also a huge potential for environmental damage along the Atlantic Amazon coast, which could extend to the territorial waters of French Guiana.

Expert analysis

Speaking to CENARIUM MAGAZINE, geographer and environmentalist Carlos Durigan highlights that the fish found in the estuary—a partially enclosed body of water formed where freshwater from rivers and streams flows into the ocean and mixes with seawater—supply much of the Amazonian population. He also notes that fishing in the region supplies other parts of Brazil and even neighboring countries.

“The importance of this is extreme, from the perspective of its ecological role and the richness of biodiversity and socio-diversity that live there and depend on this healthy environment. The Amazon River mouth also includes vast stretches of mangroves—the largest extent of mangroves in the world—and one of the most important wetland areas on the planet,” the expert states.

Durigan also warns that any intervention in the region could compromise ecosystem quality and lead to major disruptions. “Besides the issues related to aquatic biodiversity, we should also include species that inhabit the mangroves. This highlights their importance for the region, as mangroves serve as large nurseries essential for maintaining species,” he adds.

Translated from Portuguese by Gustô Alves