West African manatee

How it lives

Females first breed at about 3 years and males at about 9 to 10. Pregnancy lasts about 13 months and a single calf is born every 3 to 5 years. The lifespan is estimated at about 30 years.

Where it goes

West African manatees live in coastal waters, rivers and lakes, and prefer estuaries where salt water meets fresh. They are described as migratory, and some move up rivers and back to the coast.

We only draw a journey on the map when scientists have tracked it or clearly documented it. For this animal we have not found one yet.

Populations

No reliable count exists. A rough figure of about 10,000 animals or fewer across the whole range is often quoted. The range runs from Senegal to Angola, covering about 20 countries including inland ones such as Mali, Niger and Chad. The species is described as steadily depleted by hunting for meat, oil and skin, fishing nets, dams and habitat loss. IUCN status is Vulnerable. In Sierra Leone, the Sherbro River Estuary protected area was set up partly to conserve manatees. No current local counts were read.