Rescue and Rehabilitation of an Orphaned West African Manatee Calf (Trichechus senegalensis) in Gabon, Africa

The West African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis) lives in coastal waters, rivers, and lakes of western and west central Africa. It is the least understood and most threatened of all sirenian species, and classified as vulnerable by IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Highly endangered by pollution, habitat degradation, hunting (for meat, leather and oil) and incidental catches in fishing nets, it is protected under national laws in every country in which it occurs in Africa. On 24 September 2010 a live West African manatee calf of approximately one month of age, stranded on the beach near Mayumba National Park in Gabon. This is the first documented record of T. senegalensis in the Atlantic Ocean of Gabon. The male calf was 108 cm in length and weighed 27 kg at the time of rescue. After stabilizing him, the calf was transferred to a corral at the edge of nearby Banio Lagoon, and local care-givers were trained to care and feed him using techniques and formula from manatee facilities in Puerto Rico and the USA. From February to May 2011, with 431 hours of husbandry effort, the health of the manatee was stabilized and his weight increased from 23 to 32.5 kg. The plans for this manatee calf are to continue his care until about two years of age, release him back to the wild with a radio-transmitter. During the time until he is released, it will be an exceptional opportunity to learn about this poorly understood species and promote educational awareness for manatees in Gabon and throughout Africa.