Easy food in the jungle: evaluating presence and relationships of Amazon River dolphin (Inia geoffrensis) at a provisioning site in the Amazon, Brazil

Abstract

Provisioning food to wildlife is a strategy used to habituate animals to human proximity during tourism activities, but it can contribute to changes in individual behavior and social structure and impacts on the nutritional health status. This article evaluates the presence and relationships of Amazon River dolphins (Inia geoffrensis) in feeding sessions at a floating house in Anavilhanas National Park, Brazil. The Amazon River dolphins most frequently observed during the study period also presented higher constancy in the feeding sessions. Food provisioning had a variable impact on Amazon River dolphins, making it possible to identify regular, occasional, and rare visitors. The most frequently observed Amazon River dolphins showed strong connectivity, with some individuals playing an important role in the network, acting as a bridge, connecting the set of nodes. These results provide important information about the level of conditioning and social relationships of Amazon River dolphins, which can assist in the development of strategies aimed at reducing the negative population health consequences of supplying food.