Facts about West African Manatee

1. 08

   The flippers of the West African manatee contain vestigial nails, a trait shared with other manatee species that reflects their evolutionary descent from land-dwelling ancestors.

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2. 07

   Manatees in West Africa can hold their breath for up to 20 minutes while foraging on submerged vegetation in river and coastal habitats.

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3. 06

   In 2020, the International Union for Conservation of Nature classified the West African manatee as vulnerable to extinction, driven primarily by illegal hunting and habitat loss across its range.

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4. 05

   Aquatic vegetation comprises roughly 90 percent of the West African manatee's diet, making it a keystone herbivore that controls invasive water plants in river ecosystems.

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5. 04

   Gestation periods in West African manatees last approximately 13 months, among the longest of any marine mammal relative to body size.

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6. 03

   Sirenia's West African manatee produces audible vocalizations including squeaks and squeals that help mothers and calves maintain contact in murky river waters.

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7. 02

   Trichechus senegalensis inhabits freshwater rivers and coastal areas across West Africa from Senegal to Angola, with populations increasingly fragmented by dam construction and water extraction.

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8. 01

   Weighing up to 1,600 kilograms, the West African manatee is the largest living sirenian species in African waters.

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