Stop hunting for the African manatee

The exact status of the population is unknown. Based on data collected in Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, Senegal and Cameroon, West Africa in 2006, in Africa, presumably, fewer than 10,000 individuals of African manatee.

The number of species is reduced mainly as a result of hunting, incidental catch and accidents, when the animals become entangled in fishing nets and trawls, or are killed by collisions with river and sea vessels. So in Guinea-Bissau between 1990-1998,. 209 dead manatees from 72% entangled in fishing gear, 13% were killed in hunting, 4% washed ashore at low tide and 11% were killed by unknown reasons.

Notwithstanding the legal protection in some countries, local residents continue to prey on manatees using harpoons, ad hoc networks and a variety of traps for their meat, bones, skin and fat. The latest in Mali, Senegal and Chad is seen as a cure for rheumatism and diseases of the ear, as well as cosmetic. Commercial production of the African manatee, however, is not conducted. In some areas, manatees pursued as pests of agriculture and fisheries. Coastal areas, which are the primary habitat for manatees, usually densely populated and heavily affected by human pressure - so, cutting of mangroves for timber leads to the disappearance of mangroves, due to erosion and an alluvium soil is drying up of lagoons and estuaries. The redistribution of water flows due to construction of dams increases salinity in estuaries, in particular the impact on aquatic vegetation. Manatees are also often caught in the valves and turbine hydroelectric dams. Impact on the population of the increasing pollution of water and household sewage yet poorly studied.

At the 9th meeting of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMC) in 1999, it was noted that among the African species of manatees is in the worst state. Enhancing environmental destruction has put many local populations of manatees to the brink of extinction. Effective measures for the protection and conservation of the species in the habitat it is now mainly are in the process of planning and development. List of protected areas in West Africa, where he meets the African manatee, can be found at IUCN. In 1986, the African Manatee was awarded the status of "Vulnerable» - Vulnerable (Criteria: A3cd, C1) on the basis of reducing its size by more than 20% over a period of 10 years. Listed in Appendix II of CITES.
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