Revista de biodiversidad y especies en peligro de extinción

West African Manatee Trichechus senegalensis (LINK, 1795) in the Estuary of the Congo River (Democratic Republic of the Congo): Review and Update

Abstract

Anne L, Marcel C, Bruno M, Philippe T, Carine M, Steve N, Aurore G, Philippe H, Baudouin M, Wim W, Herwig L, Natalie VH, Micha JC and Erik V

The West African manatee Trichechus senegalensis (LINK, 1795) is the least studied Sirenian species, with both old and fragmentary literature on the population in the Congo River estuary. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, T. senegalensis occurs up to 60 km upstream around Boma town, a zone under partial protection of the Marine Mangrove Park. In order to develop efficient conservation actions, there is an urgent need to revise the state of knowledge on the species in the Congolese part of its distribution range. This paper reviews the current status and distribution of T. senegalensis populations in the Congo River estuary based on geolocated observations (N=33), and provides a summary of local communities’ knowledge, attitude and practices of the manatees ’ecosystem services (e.g.: river dredging, touristic potential). The reported potential threats-poaching, habitat loss, risk of genetic drift-show that the T. senegalensis population of the Congo River estuary is in danger and that its survival requires specific conservation measures.