Goué André Clotaire Gbagou, a fisherman in the Ivory Coast, was fishing on the Sassandra Riverbed when he accidentally caught a young West African manatee. He realized the baby manatee was too young to survive alone. So, Gbagou decided to care for it himself.
The manatee now lives in a local wildlife enclosure. Gbagou bottle-feeds it by hand.
A Community Effort to Protect Manatees
Born Free USA, the Department of Wildlife and Hunting Resources (DFRC), and the Ministry of Water and Forests (MINEF) shared details about the rescue. As of July 22, the manatee weighed 25 kg and was estimated to be two months old. The DFRC will watch the calf's progress and decide when it's ready to be released. This will happen when it outgrows its enclosure and can feed itself properly.
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Start Your News DetoxWest African manatees live in coastal waters, rivers, and wetlands across 21 countries. Like Florida manatees, they are a conservation concern. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists all manatees as "vulnerable."
There are no specific groups in the Ivory Coast focused on manatee protection. However, the baby manatee's presence has sparked local interest. Gbagou is working with community members to start a grassroots effort to protect manatees.
Expanding Conservation and Ecotourism
The DFRC has advised Gbagou to expand his efforts to other vulnerable species. These include sea turtles, dolphins, waterbirds, and monkeys. Fishing is the biggest threat to manatees. Officials recommend helping fishermen switch to eco-friendly practices. This will reduce pressure on rivers and lagoons as fish populations decline.
The government also sees ecotourism as a way to protect manatees and other endangered species. Ivorians enjoy vacations by the sea or near lagoons. Agencies suggest training communities in ecotourism and creating observation stations for specific species. This would allow communities to earn money from conservation.
Long-term solutions are needed to protect the species. Authorities need support to stop the decline in manatee populations. This decline is caused by fishing net entanglement and habitat destruction. Deforestation, mangrove destruction, pollution, and siltation all play a part. The confirmed presence of manatees in these areas shows an urgent need for conservation efforts. These efforts will restore their habitats and populations.
