Victor the Manatee

Ecology

The West African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis) is the least studied, and most threatened of all manatee species (IUCN, 2008).  It occurs in most of the coastal marine waters, brackish estuaries, and adjacent rivers along the coast of West Africa, from southern Mauritania to Angola (IUCN 2008).  The preferred coastal habitats of the West African manatee are: a) coastal lagoons with abundant growth of mangroves or herbaceous growth; b) estuarine areas of larger rivers with abundant mangroves in the lower reaches and grasses further upriver; and, c) shallow and protected coastal areas with fringing mangroves or marine aquatic plants. (Powell, 1996).

Status

The West African manatee is classified as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red list.  Manatees are vulnerable to a range of anthropogenic impacts.  These threats, particularly hunting and incidental catches in fishing nets, appear to be increasing throughout the West African manatee's range, with locally high rates and near extirpation in some regions (IUCN 2008). This is despite the species being protected by national law in every country in which it occurs.  While an awareness of the protected status of the manatee is widespread, actual protection is often absent or ineffective due to a lack of enforcement in most areas (Perrin 2001).

Threats

Although uncontrolled and unsustainable hunting (for meat, leather and oil) is considered the most significant threat, manatee numbers have declined progressively due to a combination of factors, linked to increasing human presence and poorly planned coastal development. Manatees are accidentally caught in a range of different fishing gears, where they often drown, or are opportunistically exploited for their meat.  The manatee’s coastal wetland habitat is also being damaged as a result of clearance of mangroves for timber or development; pollution from human settlement, industry and agriculture; and siltation and water flow changes as a result of mangrove and watershed forest clearance.

The situation in Gabon

With the establishment of Gabon’s coastal national parks in 2002, the country has protected what may be some of the largest populations of manatees left in West Africa. Manatees are frequently sighted in central Gabon, but little else is known about them. Manatees are most frequently seen in the N’dogo and N’gowe Lagoons, and in the Ogooué River.  Manatees are present, but less frequently sighted in national parks in the north and south of Gabon: Akanda, Pongara and Mayumba.  As in the rest of the region hunting is the biggest threat to the remaining manatee population in Gabon (Keith, unpublished data, 2009)

Victor

On 24th September 2010, a baby West African manatee calf, approximately one month old, washed up on the beach from the Atlantic Ocean near the village of Mayumba. This was the first ever record of a manatee at sea in Gabon. The Wildlife Conservation Society’s  (WCS) Mayumba Project received a call from a member of the community and rescued the male calf.  He was then transferred to a temporary enclosure at the edge of the nearby Banio Lagoon, at a quiet location about 20km from Mayumba. The available information suggests that this is the first West African manatee calf ever known to have been rescued and put into rehabilitation care. WCS staff and colleagues have had to learn swiftly how to take care of this rare individual (named ‘Victor’ by a local African care-giver), with manatee veterinarians from around the world providing advice via the internet. Victor has required intensive care, including feeding every three hours around the clock for the first six months, as well as treatment of the wounds he received from abrasions in the surf prior to his rescue.  A visiting WCS veterinarian provided health assessment and training on basic care and treatment of wounds.  This was followed by the presence, for four months, of a specialist manatee care volunteer from The Manatee Conservation Centre of Puerto Rico (de la Red Caribena de Varamientos y la Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico en Bayamon). During this time, a local team of care-givers has been trained in the patient and painstaking work of feeding and looking after the calf.  Now that Victor is stabilized, funds are being sought for his longer term rehabilitation ahead of a proposed eventual release in a lagoon in Gabon.  This unique opportunity will be used to increase awareness for manatee conservation in both Gabon and the region, and contribute to the scientific knowledge of the species.

Manatee care

The manatee calf needs round-the-clock care, particularly in its first year, including bottle-feeding every 3hrs. In addition, time will need to be given to conducting the proposed research associated with the manatee rehabilitation.  Consequently two staff will need to be present to assume the workload. The manatee care involves the following key activities:

• Feeding: for the first year, up to every three hours using a special powdered milk formula shipped to Gabon from the USA. Once at the desired age and weight, the calf will be progressively weaned onto a herbaceous diet. Vegetation will be collected by the on-site staff.
• Health status data collection: daily information collected on feeding, behaviour and growth-rate will be recorded in order to monitor the manatee’s wellbeing, in consultation with WCS vets and international manatee experts. A limited internet connection is being provided on site to enable timely communication, the uploading of data and photos; and the downloading of advice and documents.
• Water quality monitoring: Enclosure water quality is monitored to ensure a healthy environment for the manatee.

Research

The West African manatee is a very little known species. Basic knowledge of its life history, such as longevity, age of sexual maturity, calving interval and habitat requirements are still unknown. Currently most behavioral and physiological attributes are inferred from the Florida manatee (Keith, 2009). In addition, there is no previous record of a West African manatee calf having been raised in captivity for more than a couple weeks. We are therefore provided with a unique opportunity to gain valuable information on the feeding, behaviour, physiological, medical, and developmental characteristics of an infant/juvenile West African manatee.

Outreach

We aim to raise awareness in Mayumba and the Banio Lagoon communities of the importance of West African manatee conservation and the protection of its habitat. Awareness efforts will focus on the following issues:

• The manatee a rare and threatened mammal, not a fish. It is protected by law in Gabon, as well as by many international laws and Conventions. Manatees are peaceful and shy creatures that, similar to humans, provide a high level of maternal care for their young.  The importance of Gabon as one of the last remaining viable refuges for this species will be highlighted, by showing that in most other African countries the manatee is already very rare and may go extinct in our lifetime.
• The manatee plays an important role in the lagoon ecosystem. Research in other parts of the world has shown that manatee habitat is also important for the growth of juvenile fish. Manatees also assist in controlling the overgrowth of aquatic plants that can clog waterways.  
• The threats that manatees face also impact other species and the lagoon habitat, with potential for impacts on human livelihoods. Particular focus will be placed on mangrove and reed bed conservation and the dangers of irresponsible fishing practices.
• A system for reporting wild manatee sightings and cases of accidental capture in fishing nets will be established, including information on how to keep a manatee alive until it can be transferred to a care centre.

Release

After some 2 to 2.5 years of care the orphan manatee will be ready for release. Readiness for release will be based on a veterinary assessment and advice from international manatee experts. Research will be undertaken to identify the most suitable lagoon location in central Gabon for Victor’s release.  A veterinarian will supervise the translocation process to monitor and ensure the manatee’s health.  Additional time will be required at the new site, to gradually acclimatize Victor to the local conditions prior to his eventual release.

Many thanks to Victor's supporters!

Members of Save the Manatee Club have given an amazing amount supplies so that Victor will continue to thrive!

Read more about their generosity at: donatehttp://www.savethemanatee.org/news_feature_victor_8-11.htm

The United States Embassy is helping get all these crucial supplies from the United States to Gabon!