Horrific video of threatened West African manatee dragged down a street in Delta State, Nigeria yesterday. There are three manatee species worldwide – West Indian, West African, and Amazonian. It lives in lagoons within equatorial rainforests, in rivers at the edge of the Sahara Desert, around coastal islands in the Atlantic Ocean, and in many other habitats in 21 countries along the Atlantic African coast, as well as over 2000 miles inland in rivers in Mali and Chad. Meanwhile, the dead animals are sold for their parts and meat. Try not to pass over manatees, and don't separate mothers from their calves. The manatee trade started decades ago, based on myths and lies about manatees being dangerous in order to justify killing them. The manatee is officially endangered no more. Many drown, and those who manage to surface for air may still be unable to move around easily enough to survive for very long. 1 threat for manatees in the Amazon, where hunters typically catch the animals with harpoons, then sell their meat and other parts for local consumption. Manatees can become confused by multiple boats, sometimes swimming away from one and into the path of another. Increases in manatee populations and improvements in their habitats led the U.S. The African manatee is thought to be similar in appearance and behaviour to the better known American manatee. Before manatees were widely known, sailors sometimes mistook the mammals for mermaids. However, that doesn't mean this species of animal is safe despite an estimated population of at least 13,000, and it can easily become endangered once again in the future. Currently it is listed as threatened as it was recently moved off of the endangered species list. Check the MRRP's map to find the nearest bin location. Columbian White-tailed Deer. Don't touch manatees, surround them, approach them, or make loud noises near them. If you're fishing in Florida, take advantage of the Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program (MRRP), which aims to encourage recycling with a network of line recycling bins and drop-off locations at docks, boat ramps, and tackle shops across the state. >>> Click Here To See More West African Manatee Pictures . From November 2004 until December 2007, the West African Manatee Conservation Project completed Phase I. Never offer food or water to a manatee, since it alters their natural foraging behavior and is considered a form of harassment, according to the FWC. These fully aquatic creatures have large, rotund bodies, giving them the nickname “sea cow.” Read on to learn about the manatee. The African Manatee is thought to live a very peaceful existence among the waters there. They’re also quickly losing their natural habitat and get hurt by boats and nets. When you consider other species of the manatee that weigh as much as 1,200 pounds then that is a significant difference. Then, in 2017, their status changed as the U.S. Deforestation in the Amazon also threatens water quality in manatee habitats, as does pollution from agricultural pesticides and mercury used in gold exploration. The West African Manatee is considered endangered by the IUCN. Boat strikes often don't kill manatees immediately, so prompt rescue efforts can save their lives. The West African Manatee (Trichechus senegalensis) is a species of concern belonging in the species group "mammals" and found in the following area(s): Africa. This species is also known by the following name(s): Seacow. For more information about African manatees, please visit the IUCN Red List website. That means they aren't officially endangered, which is one category closer to extinction, but it doesn't mean they're out of danger. Due to the way in which human actions … While incidental entanglement is a problem for all three manatee species, it seems to play the largest role for African manatees. If you do collide with a manatee, make sure to report it quickly. They are generally docile, slow-moving creatures with limited ability to fight or flee, leaving them especially vulnerable to humans. The Florida manatee fell as low as a few hundred individuals in the 1970s, when it was added to the U.S. endangered species list, but conservation efforts have since helped it rebound to about 6,600, according to the U.S. Humans have a history of hunting manatees, but today, manatees are more threatened by human ignorance and carelessness than deliberate predation. That could mean joining a coordinated cleanup event at a shoreline, park, river, or roadside, or simply picking up a little trash as you walk along the beach. Manatees are large marine mammals with easily distinguishable round, flattened tails. Over the past ten years Dr. Lucy Keith Diagne has trained collaborators from 19 countries, and now focused and detailed conservation efforts have begun, such as the protection of specific habitats where manatee use is found to be high, and targeting anti-poaching enforcement to known hunting areas. The African manatee is the most endangered and least studied manatee species in the world. During this phase, residents of six African countries (Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Sierra Leone) created a database of previously unknown information about the species (such as population, economic value, and habitat range) by conducting surveys in their countries. They tend to be on the smaller side of the scale though when it comes to weight, around 750 to 790 pounds. This can happen to both adults and juveniles, and unless humans find them in time to help, entangled manatees generally have slim chances of survival. However, all three species of manatee—the West Indian, Amazonian and African manatee—face serious threats to their survival. A collision can hurt a manatee in two ways: blunt force from the hull of a vessel, and cutting injuries from a propeller. Manatees are still vulnerable to extinction throughout their range, and despite some recent conservation success in Florida, they aren't well-suited for quick recoveries due to their low reproductive rate. Robert Bonde / U.S. Geological Survey / Flickr / Public Domain. With the help of over 7,000 of the world’s best wildlife filmmakers and photographers, conservationists and scientists, Arkive.org featured multi-media fact-files for more than 16,000 endangered species. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to change the species’ status under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The African Manatee can be up to 14 feet long. They do fall victim to sharks and crocodiles from time to time though. Their status was then established by the Endangered Species Act, which was the first list of endangered species that were given federal protection. The gestation period of manatees lasts about year, they average only one calf every two to five years, and both males and females need about five years to reach sexual maturity. Russell McLendon is a science journalist who covers a wide range of topics about the natural environment, humans, and other wildlife. You won't be cited in Florida for accidentally hitting a manatee if you were obeying speed limits, the FWC notes. The DNA extracted from faecal samples allows researchers to isolate individual populations and determine which groups are most endangered. Given the array of threats working against them, manatees will need all the help they can get to avoid slipping any closer to the brink. According to Wikipedia, Manatees are "large, fully aquatic, mostly herbivorous marine mammals that measure up to 4.0 metres, weigh as much as 590 kilograms and have paddle-like flippers." The long-term strategy for this project is to build and sustain a cohesive network of African researchers who will determine population sizes and status of African manatees in a majority of the 21 range countries, as well as to develop and implement management plans for conservation of the species. There are thought to be fewer than 15,000 African manatees, according to The Zoological Society of London (ZSL), while the Amazonian manatee numbers anywhere from 8,000 to 30,000. Established in 1964, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of animal, fungi and plant species. Less is known about the Caribbean subspecies, but its population is thought to be smaller and sparser. Using a "prop guard" around a boat's propeller can also reduce the risk of injury in case there is a collision. Conservation of the elusive and endangered African manatee over its enormous and mostly remote range will take a long-term, dedicated effort by as many fully trained people working on the ground as possible. On the heels of Manatee Appreciation Day, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced the downlisting of the West Indian manatee from endangered to threatened. Your help will be especially valuable if you remove discarded fishing line, plastic bags, or other items that pose a danger for manatees. Although people do target manatees in some places with traps, nets, and baited hooks, they are also widely killed by fishing gear intended for other animals. The African manatee is the least well-known of the three manatee species in genus Trichechus. Even if you don't see manatees, avoid traveling through seagrass beds or other shallow areas where they might feed or rest, and obey all posted waterway signs, including no-wake zones. While manatees don't have any true natural predators, they have still become endangered. There are three different species of manatees: the Amazonian manatee, the African manatee, and the West Indian manatee. Never carelessly discard your fishing lines, especially near the water, since they could create a dangerous entanglement hazard for manatees or other wildlife. If you see a manatee, one of the easiest ways to help is by giving it plenty of room. African manatees live along the coast and in the rivers of western Africa. In fact, the IUCN cites illegal hunting as the No. African manatees are in serious danger of extinction due to the manatee market in Nigeria, where a hunter can earn up to $2,000 from a single quarry. The freshwater Amazonian manatee (T. inunguis) inhabits the Amazon River and its tributaries, and never ventures into salt water. They face many threats, including entanglement in fishing nets and entrapment in dams. Watercraft collisions account for about 25% of all deaths among West Indian manatees, as well as 35% of documented deaths with a known cause. The U.S. Other African countries also contributed reports that broadened the collective knowledge of the African … United States: +1 508-388-9824 Senegal: +221 33 95 78 999. Like its relatives, this gentle manatee is threatened with extinction a… As with many marine mammals, entanglement in fishing lines and nets poses another grave threat to manatees. If you're boating in manatee habitat, assign someone to look out for manatees (or take turns). Currently, there are three types of manatees in the world, the Amazonian manatee, the West India manatee, and the West African manatee. Fish and Wildlife Service / Flickr / CC BY-2.0, 10 Endangered Species the Trump Administration May Kill Off Entirely, Why the Snow Leopard Population Is Decreasing, 13 Amazing Turtles to Know for World Turtle Day, Florida Manatees Can Survive for at Least Another Century, Cats Are Going Extinct: 12 Most Endangered Feline Species, Meet 7 New Endangered Species on the IUCN Red List, 10 Endangered Shark Species You Should Know, Proposed Mega-Development Could Pose Threat to Iconic Florida Panther, 10 of North America's Most Endangered Birds, 8 Incredible Animals Being Hunted Into Extinction, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program. REPRODUCTION. African manatees are severely endangered due to Nigeria's lax animal protection laws, with hunters earning thousands of dollars to kill these beautiful creatures. Of the three, only the West Indian manatee is split into subspecies, and both of those — the Florida manatee and Caribbean manatee — are listed as endangered. By doing so, they keep the grass short, which helps maintain the health of the sea grass beds. Today, there are less than 10’000 West African Manatees left. People commonly wound and kill manatees by operating motorized watercraft in their habitats. They are large aquatic mammals that inhabit the warm water of rivers and coastal marine areas. Picture of a West African Manatee, Trichechus senegalensis, feeding on lettuce, highly endangered . David Hinkel / U.S. African manatees are threatened by illegal hunting, fisheries bycatch, and human development. Keeping your distance may be more immediately important for motorboats and jet skis than for canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards, but paddlers should still be careful about getting overly chummy with a threatened wild animal. African Aquatic Conservation Fund is registered in the United States as a 501(c)(3) organization. The Columbian white-tailed deer was officially recorded as threatened … Read the release in Spanish. African manatees are classified as a vulnerable species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List. The West Indian manatee is related to the West African manatee, the Amazonian manatee, the dugong, and Steller’s sea cow, which was hunted to extinction in 1768. Due to their slow speed, high buoyancy, and tendency to feed on seagrass in shallow water, manatees often have little time or space to escape fast-moving boats and jet skis. The coastal wetlands that are a major habitat for the manatee have already been heavily damaged and are further severely threatened. The West Indian manatee, the Amazonian manatee, and the African manatee each still faces "a high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future," according to the IUCN. Wildscreen's Arkive project was launched in 2003 and grew to become the world's biggest encyclopaedia of life on Earth. Fish and Wildlife service to … Bearded seal, Beringia distinct population segment (DPS) Erignathus barbatus. Many entangled African manatees die before they're discovered, but even when they're found alive, most are killed rather than released, the IUCN notes, possibly because they're seen as pests that damage fishing equipment. All donations are tax-deductible. Depending on when you read this lesson the West Indian manatee, found in the U.S., a gentle and slow moving aquatic mammal, may be back on the endangered list. Here are a few ways humans can lend a hand. This lesson focuses on the West Indian manatee but be aware that two other vulnerable sp… Manatees were classified as "endangered" under the Endangered Species Act in 1967. Dams are a major cause of habitat degradation for Amazonian and African manatees, according to the IUCN, sometimes isolating populations in rivers or interfering with water speeds and nutrient loads. Demand the Nigerian government put a stop to this trade immediately. Collaborators also share their knowledge and train others, further increasing the number of biologists working with the African manatees. That led the FWS to downgrade Florida manatees from endangered to threatened in 2017, despite objections from many conservationists who argue the move was premature. Fish and Wildlife Service downgraded them to … Amazonian. The species is treated as a threat to justify the killings. African Manatee Description. There are still a few thousand individuals in each manatee species, but their population estimates are often hindered by scant data, and even the best-case scenarios don't provide much buffer from the threats they face. It might help to wear polarized sunglasses, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), since they cut glare and can help reveal manatees underwater. In the Amazon, manatee calves who survive entanglement in fishing nets are sometimes kept alive to be sold as pets. Development also raises the demand for groundwater supplies, threatening the warm springs where cold-intolerant manatees seek refuge in winter. Even if you only see one, it might be traveling with others — like a calf — that are out of view. All three species are now legally protected, but those laws are not always enforced, and illegal manatee hunting remains common in Africa and especially South America. Manatees are also known as sea cows. Loss of habitat has become one of the most pervasive threats to endangered species around the world, and manatees are no exception. Whether you live near a manatee habitat or just take a vacation there, you can assist their recovery by making even a minimal effort to clean up hazardous trash. Your goal should be to watch from a distance and for a limited amount of time, without drawing attention to yourself. Why was the manatee endangered … If a manatee responds to your presence, you are already too close, the FWC warns. … The average adult manatee is about 10 feet long and weighs between 800 and 1,200 pounds. The West Indian manatee, the Amazonian manatee, and the African manatee each still faces "a high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future," according to … While manatees don't have any true natural predators, they have still become endangered. There are three manatee species worldwide – West Indian, West African, and Amazonian. Fish and Wildlife Service / Flickr / CC BY-2.0. Manatees who frequently interact with friendly paddlers can lose their natural caution around watercraft of all kinds, including the motorized vessels that already maim and kill too many manatees. It is sometimes also killed in turbines or control gates of dams. A female manatee is called a cow, while a male manatee is called a bull. Notable increases in manatee populations and improvements in its habitat allowed the U.S. Here's a closer look at the major threats humans pose to manatees. Look for a pattern of ripples on the surface, known as "manatee footprints," caused by the animal's tail as it swims. Even though African manatees are endangered animals, people still hunt them for meat. Manatees are in danger from people virtually everywhere they live, but the risks can vary widely depending on the species and location. One of the easiest ways to help manatees is to give them space and obey boating regulations. There are only four species in the order Sirenia still existing, with the only non-manatee member being the dugong in a separate family Dugongidae. A special thank you to our African Manatee Conservation program partners: I would like to make a donation in the amount of: I would like this donation to repeat each month. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed downgrading the manatee's status from endangered to threatened in January 2016 after more than 40 years of the manatee's being classified as on the endangered. While the West African Manatee is protected by the national laws of all the countries it lives in, and since 2013 also by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, no specific conservation measures have been undertaken so far. Tampa Bay, for example, lost about 80% of its seagrass between 1900 and 1980, largely due to poor water quality. Conservation of the elusive and endangered African manatee over its enormous and mostly remote range will take a long-term, dedicated effort by as many fully trained people working on … All three are listed as vulnerable to extinction. The biggest concerns for them come from humans. The coastal wetlands that are a major habitat for this manatee have already been heavily damaged and are further severely threatened. The mangroves provide habitat to the threatened West African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis, VU) (Hughes and Hughes 1993), the soft-skinned turtle (Trionyx triunguis), and in the Niger Delta, isolated populations of pygmy hippopotamus (Hexaprotodon liberiensis heslopi, VU). Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). Archaeological evidence suggests people have hunted manatees for thousands of years, and although some manatee populations may have adapted by growing more secretive and cautious, that hasn't been enough to protect them in modern times from fast-growing human populations. Manatees eat a LOT of sea grass. African manatee posters created by our project inform local people and promote conservation. African manatees are classified as a vulnerable species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List. Manatees have long struggled to coexist with humans, and today all three manatee species are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). With few natural predators, manatees didn't face much selective pressure for speed or defensive measures during most of their evolutionary history. Watercraft collisions are the main threat to Florida manatees, but they're also a risk for manatees everywhere. Manatees are believed to have evolved from a wading, plant-eating animal. Seals and Sea Lions. … Jim Reid / U.S. About half of all deaths among adult Florida manatees can be attributed to human activities, according to the IUCN, and the main threat comes from watercraft. Many manatee populations still haven't recovered from intensive hunting by humans in the past, leaving them more vulnerable to modern threats like boats, habitat loss, and even smaller-scale local hunting. The West Indian manatee, which is found in the Western Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, was listed as Endangered in 1967 and has since been the subject of many conservation initiatives and legislation. In Florida, rapid human population growth has led to widespread coastal development near estuaries and coastal wetlands, often at the expense of vital seagrass beds and warm-water springs. 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