Home › Mammalia › Trichechidae › African Manatee (Trichechus senegalensis)
SPECIES PROFILE
African Manatee (Trichechus senegalensis)
Trichechus
IUCN STATUS
Vulnerable
CONSERVATION STATUS
Vulnerable
CLASS
Mammalia
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
West African coasts and rivers
DIET
Herbivorous
HABITAT
Rivers, estuaries and mangroves
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Mammalia
ORDER
Sirenia
FAMILY
Trichechidae
GENUS
Trichechus
📋 Description
SIZE
Up to 4.5 m; up to 500 kg
COLORATION
Grey, seal-like body with a rounded paddle tail
ADAPTATIONS
Grazes water plants; sensitive bristles feel for food in murky water
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Rivers, estuaries and mangroves
DIET
Herbivorous
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
West African coasts and rivers
REPRODUCTION
Single calf every 3-5 years
DIET DETAILS
Water plants and mangrove leaves
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Bycatch, hunting, dams
💡 Interesting Facts
1
West Africa's gentle 'sea cow', a shy river giant rarely glimpsed in the mangroves.
2
It is the least-known of the world's manatees, living in muddy rivers and coastal lagoons.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Gambia River
Saloum Delta
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
November-May
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Take a quiet boat through mangrove creeks at dawn; look for a broad grey back or a swirl at the surface.
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