For Gabon manatees living in lagoons and rivers in the Central African rainforest, the model estimated their diet was 90% plants and 10% invertebrates (fish were not sampled from Gabon). West African manatees hardly ever come under attack by crocodiles or sharks – man is the main threat this aquatic mammal faces. The African manatee lives along the coast and in the rivers of western Africa. ... Seagrass is his favourite food, but recently scientists discovered that African manatees also like clams and small fish. Nine African manatee researcher colleagues and I are in our third year of documenting all threats to African manatees and number captured or killed in five countries: Senegal, The Gambia, Nigeria, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Bijou Cafe. The event, planned for April in Senegal, will bring together more than 50 manatee conservationists from at least nine African countries, as well as experts from Florida, Malaysia and Brazil. The West African manatee (T. senegalensis), found in coastal areas and slow-moving rivers from Senegal to Angola, also ranges far inland in some rivers. They may also feed on overhanging bank growth, and populations living in estuarine environments are reported to feed exclusively on mangroves (Nowak 1991). African manatees do not have any hind limbs but they have large forelimbs, or flippers, which are used to paddle and to bring food … 10.13.16. Maxwell Williams. Food Habits Trichechus senegalensis feeds primarily on aquatic vegetation, and adults may consume up to 8000kg per year. The African manatee is one of the least understood marine mammals in the world. Food Humans Used to Eat These Adorable (And Delicious) Endangered Animals You gonna finish that? Conservation of West African Manatee Threats. People used to eat people. The African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis) is still a barely known aquatic mammal from the manatee family. From the exterior, the African manatee looks very similar to the American manatee; however, the African manatee has characteristic white markings on its abdomen. Form and function Florida manatees generally grow to around 3 metres (10 feet) but range in length from about 2.5 to 3.9 metres (8 to 13 feet) and weigh up to 1,655 kg (3,650 pounds). It is believed to be in decline throughout its 21 country range, primarily due to illegal hunting and incidental bycatch. Illegal hunting is the greatest reason for declines in manatee populations, and local peoples shoot the manatee for food or for their skins. Baseline research is critically needed to inform conservation actions for the species. African manatees sampled from both Gabon and Senegal, and both freshwater and marine systems, regularly ate mollusks and fish as part of their diets. 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