• 2015 – Vulnerable (VU)
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• 2008 – Vulnerable (VU)
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• 2006 – Vulnerable (VU)
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• 1996 – Vulnerable (VU)
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• 1994 – Vulnerable (V)
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• 1990 – Vulnerable (V)
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• 1988 – Vulnerable (V)
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• 1986 – Vulnerable (V)
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• 1965 – Status inadequately known-survey required or data sought
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There are no population estimates based on quantitative information. Nishiwaki et al. (1982) and Nishiwaki (1984) made a number of intuitive estimates for 15 countries, based primarily on interviews rather than direct surveys. Roth and Waitkuwait (1986) and Akoi (2004) made estimates of 750-800 Manatees for Côte d'Ivoire. In 1999 a report by ABE estimated the Manatee population in Benin at 125 individuals. There are no population number estimates for other countries at this time. The first genetics analyses for the species indicated high haplotype diversity and strong population structure but included samples from few individuals (Parr 2000, Parr and Duffield 2002, Vianna et al. 2006). More recent mitochondrial DNA analyses using 63 new samples from eight countries identified sixteen new control region and nine new cytochrome-b haplotypes for the species (Keith Diagne 2014). These are the first African Manatee genetic results from Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Ivory Coast and Benin. New haplotypes were characterized by high haplotype diversity, but low nucleotide diversity, indicating expansion after a period of low effective population size (Keith Diagne 2014). Phylogenetic trees identified two clades aligned geographically, indicating regional population separation likely due to low recent dispersal (Keith Diagne 2014). Ongoing mitochondrial and nuclear genetics analyses will probably allow for population estimates for Gabon and Senegal in the near future (Keith Diagne unpublished data). The Lake Chad population has probably been extirpated. It was reported that Manatees were gone from Lake Chad by 1929 (Hatt 1934, Salkind 1998), and although reports of them occurred in the Chari, Bamingui, Bahr-Kieta, and Logone Rivers leading into Lake Chad, Salkind (1998) reported that they were gone from these waterways as well. Today the drying and desertification of Lake Chad no longer provides much suitable habitat.
Available population information by country follows:

Mauritania
The species occurs in the Senegal River and its tributaries (Powell 1996); this river forms the border between Mauritania and Senegal. It is an infrequent inhabitant of the Diawling National Park, a wetland reserve of interconnecting streams, lakes and ponds adjacent to the Senegal River near the Diama dam (Perrin 2001). Manatees also probably inhabit the Gorgol Marigot, a large seasonally flooded tributary east of Kaedi.

Senegal
In Senegal, the Manatee was reported as close to extinction by Navaza and Burnham (1998) but more recent work indicates that this is not the case (Diop 2006, Ba et al. 2008, L. Keith Diagne and Oceanium Dakar unpublished data). In the Senegal River Manatees are permanently isolated from the coast by the Diama Dam, located in the Senegal River east of St. Louis, and upstream by the Felou Dam in Kayes, Mali which prevents them from moving further eastward. Manatees are no longer reported west of the Diama dam in the Senegal River delta near St. Louis or coastally in this region (L. Keith Diagne unpublished data ). However, Manatees are sighted throughout the Senegal River east of the dam. Manatees are frequently seen in Lake Guiers year round, and in 2005 Tocc Tocc Community Reserve was created for their protection along the northwestern shore of Lake Guiers. In February 2014, Tocc Tocc Reserve was designated as Senegal’s fifth Ramsar site. During the rainy season when the Senegal River floods, Manatees are regularly seen near Kanel and Matam in eastern Senegal (Oceanium Dakar and L. Keith Diagne unpublished data). As flood waters recede during the dry season, Manatees become stranded in seasonal lakes at Wendou Kanel and the local people, along with assistance from the Senegalese NGO Oceanium Dakar, have been rescuing and releasing them back into the main Senegal River since 1984. Beginning in 2008, Manatees became trapped behind a new agricultural dam at Navel, near Matam, on the Senegal River. Five Manatees died as a result of entrapment behind the dam, and dam grates were removed in 2010. Seven live Manatees were rescued in early 2009 and satellite tags were attached to three adult Manatees that were rescued and released back into the Senegal River (L. Keith Diagne et al. unpublished data). These Manatees used over 265 km of the Senegal River to the north and south of the release site and made directed trips to feeding areas (L. Keith Diagne et al. unpublished data). Manatees are also frequently sighted at freshwater springs that occur along coastal Senegal from the Delta Saloum region to the southern border of the country and beyond into Guinea-Bissau. In the Senegal portion of the Gambia River, Manatees are reported as far inland as Niokolo-Koba National Park during the rainy season (Grubb et al. 1998, Ba et al. 2008, P. Brillant pers. comm.), and they are also reported in this river across the border in Guinea (Théophile et al. 2008). In the Casamance River Manatees are reported as far east as Kolda, also at Basse Casamance National Park, and near the mouth of the river they can be seen daily drinking from a freshwater spring at Point St. George (Ba et al. 2008, L. Keith Diagne unpublished data). The only reports of recent Manatee hunting in Senegal are from the Delta Saloum region (IUCN and Parc National du Delta du Saloum 2005, L. Keith Diagne unpublished data).

The Gambia
In The Gambia, numbers are thought to have declined, but as of 1993 the Manatee was still numerous in the Gambia River. They have been fully protected for many years but are still believed to be hunted extensively (Perrin 2001, Jallow 2008). Manatees are reported throughout the Gambia River and its tributaries, and in Niumi National Park, Bao Bolong National Park, Kiang West National Park, and the Tanbi Wetlands Complex. There are no estimates of population numbers and little current research or conservation activities. In 2014 Manatee hunting was reported in Jareng in the Niamina East, and reports of incidentally caught Manatees were reported from Jareng as well as Tendaba in the Lower River Region (D. Saine pers. comm.). Manatees are also affected by the destruction of their habitat due to deforestation of mangroves (Jallow 2008).

Guinea Bissau
Guinea-Bissau is considered likely have one of the largest Manatee populations in Africa, because of the relatively undisturbed state of its mangroves, wetlands and river systems (Schumann 1995, Powell 1996). Silva and Araújo (2001) found that Manatees occupied a wide variety of habitats and were most abundant around the Bijagos Archipelago. Based on interviews, a total of 256 sightings involving 439 individuals interviewed were reported. Powell (1996) reported seeing about 20 individual sterna from Manatees hunted in the Bijagos Archipelago by a single Senegalese fisherman who seasonally fished there. In 1997, the government signed an agreement with IUCN to develop a National Plan for Conservation of the West African Manatee in Guinea-Bissau, and some training and survey work started, but the work stopped when the war started in 1998 and has never resumed (Silva and Araújo 2001). The major source of mortality before the war was accidental capture in fishing nets; they were not extensively hunted. Silva and Araújo (2001) reported 209 Manatees killed between 1990-1998, approximately 23 per year. More recently, Manatees have been advertised by a private company for export on the internet, and two were exported to the Toba Aquarium in Japan in 1996 (Asano and Sakamoto 1997, Kataoka et al. 2000).

Guinea
Little information is available on the Manatee in Guinea. The country has extensive suitable habitat (Powell 1996), but no systematic studies have been carried out (Barnett and Prangley 1997). Manatees occur in the Soumba, Konkouré and Fatala estuaries, Sangareyah Bay, Rio Komponi, Rio Nunez and the border area of the Guinean southern coast, notably in the Benty estuary (Théophile et al. 2008, Camara 2011). In the eastern side of Guinea, Manatees are reported in the Niger, Tinkisso and Gambia Rivers and at Haute Niger National Park (Théophile et al. 2008). In Boffa and Boké, Manatees are more easily observed during the rainy season, in channels when they are feeding (Théophile et al. 2008). Manatees are reported in the estuary at Dubréka, and a new research project will begin studying them there (O. Camara pers. comm.). In 2009 a Manatee carcass was recovered in Kanfarandé (C. Kpoghomou pers. comm.), and two Manatee calves were rescued from fishermen’s nets and released in Dubréka and Benty in 2011 and 2013 respectively (Camara 2011, O. Camara pers. comm.). According to CITES records, six live Manatees were exported from Guinea to China in 2008.

Sierra Leone
The presence of Manatees has long been recorded throughout Sierra Leone. Early work confirmed its occurrence throughout the coastal areas of Bonthe and Pujehun districts and the Sierra Leone River estuary as well as in all rivers (Lowes 1970, Robinson 1971). Reeves et al. (1988) reported their presence widely in Sierra Leone, including the Great Scarcies, Little Scarcies, Sierra Leone, Sherbro, Wanje and Sewa river systems and Lake Mape. Manatees migrate between the Malem, Shenge, and Wange Rivers and probably move upstream near Teboh, and their presence is confirmed at Yeluba Island (Reeves et al. 1988). The southern side of the coastal area (Shenge to Sulima) is believed to contain the most important numbers of Manatees, but there are no data on population numbers (Siaffa and Jalloh 2008). Recent work by Siaffa and Jalloh (2006) reported that their occurrence in many wetlands is seasonal, with high numbers seen up rivers during the rainy season when the water level is high. They are also frequently reported devastating rice fields during the rainy season, and with the rise of the water level there is also an increase in accidental captures in fishing nets (Siaffa and Jalloh 2008). As of the late 1980s the species was still widely distributed in the country, but the catches at that time were thought to be unsustainable. The Manatees are trapped, netted and harpooned (Powell 1996). Although the Manatee is considered sacred in northern Sierra Leone, and therefore not directly hunted, when incidentally caught it is still eaten (Siaffa and Jalloh 2008). Hunting is most prevalent in the wetlands of southern Sierra Leone, where Manatee meat and oil are relatively common household food items, selling for approximately 2,500-3,000 Leone (less than 70 cents in USD) per half kg piece (Siaffa and Jalloh 2006). Heavy hunting activity is also reported in river mouths, particularly in mangrove areas (van der Winden and Siaka 2005).

Liberia
Manatees have been recorded from the St. Paul River, Mesurado River, the lower Moro, St. John River, as well as the Cestos and Sankwen Rivers and in the Piso Lake region (Powell 1996). Information collected from fishermen and riparian communities in 2006 indicated that Manatees occur in the Cavalla River estuary in the southeast (Wiles and Makor 2008). The main threats to Manatees in Liberia are reported as accidental entanglement in fishing nets, direct hunting, boat collision (propeller injuries), and habitat destruction (Wiles and Makor 2008). No information is available on status and there are no current manatee studies in Liberia.

Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
Information about Manatee distribution and relative abundance in Côte d’Ivoire was collected for the first time between 1978 and 1983 by the German Technical Assistance Mission (MATA), which surveyed 107 sites and estimated that the number of Manatees living in Côte d’Ivoire was well below 850 individuals (Roth and Waitkuwait 1986). Akoi (2004) reported that the Manatee occurs along the entire coastal region of Côte d’Ivoire, as well as in all main rivers and their estuaries, and almost all lagoons. According to findings of surveys and the movements of individuals monitored by VHF radio telemetry from 1986-1988 and 2000-2002 (Powell 1996, Akoi 2004), six main areas of occurrence were identified: the Aby-Tendo-Ehy lagoon complex with the estuaries of River Tanoh and River Bia; the Ebrié lagoon complex with the mouth of River Comoé; the west Ebrié lagoon complex with the mouth of River Agneby; the Tagba-Makey-Tadio-Niouzoumou lagoon complex with the mouths of River Bandama and tributaries of Gô and Boubo; N’gni lagoon with the mouths of River Bolo and Niouniourou; the mouths of the Sassandra, San Pedro and Cavally Rivers. Groups of 10 to 20 individuals were observed several times in the N’gni lagoon in Fresco in the month of August (Akoi 2004). Human development is believed to be the reason why Manatees have completely disappeared from waters around Abidjan (Akoi 2004). A programme of research and education led by K. Akoi from 1986 until his death in 2009 was the longest running Manatee research programme in Africa to date. The population was tentatively estimated at 750–800 Manatees in five to six small, isolated populations (Akoi 2004). Illegal hunting is still a problem, as is habitat destruction including development and dams (the Kossou dam in the Bandama River and the Buyo dam in the Sassandra River). Hunting is illegal, but continues, with traps, harpoons, hook lines, baited hooks and nets all used (Roth and Waitkuwait 1986, Nicole et al. 1994, Powell 1996, Akoi 2004). There was some success in educating potential hunters and in enforcing the hunting ban in some areas (Akoi 2000), but unfortunately all programmes ended after the death of Akoi in 2009, and there are currently no research or conservation activities taking place. According to CITES records, four live Manatees were exported to Taiwan in 2004. At least two of these were sent to Farglory Ocean Park; one of these died in 2010 and the second is still in captivity at the park (T. Mignucci pers. comm.).

Ghana
The African Manatee occurs in coastal and inland waterways in Ghana, particularly in the Afram arm of Lake Volta, and in the rivers Dayi, Asukawkaw, Obusum, Sene, Digya and Oti (Ofori-Danson 1995). Manatees occur in Abi, Tano and Ehy lagoons in the southwest of Ghana (Roth and Waitkuwait 1986). They are also found in the River Tano, the lagoons and swamps associated with the lower Volta and in Lake Volta (formed by construction of the Akosombo dam). There are reports of sightings in the tributaries of the river Tordzie, such as Lolo, Altra, and Hortor in the southern area of Tongu. However, there is no report of its presence in the White or Black Volta Rivers. Ofori-Danson and Agbogah (1995) concluded that the confluence of Oti could define the upper limit of the distribution area of the Manatee in Ghana. The African Manatee has become very elusive in Lake Volta under stress from declining water levels and hunting (P. Ofori-Dansen pers. comm.). In addition, environmental degradation in the Lake Volta is on the increase. The situation continues to worsen as the human population of Ghana continues to grow, urbanization and tourist development increase and human activities become diversified (P. Ofori-Dansen pers. comm.). As a result, there is growing concern to educate the populace and also to facilitate the Ghana Wildlife Division charged with the responsibility of managing the country’s terrestrial and aquatic wildlife resources to take action. Legal protection has been established for Manatees in Ghana, and the Wildlife Division prohibits trade and hunting of Manatees. However, the enforcement of wildlife laws protecting the Manatee is frustrated by a lack of resources, manpower and limited awareness of existing regulations (P. Ofori-Dansen pers. comm.). In 2007, the Earthwatch Institute supported a project entitled “Enhancing conservation of the West African Manatee in Ghana”. During this project, no Manatees were encountered, suggesting that the stock could be too depleted to support further removal and there is urgent need for enforcement and conservation measures (P. Ofori-Dansen pers. comm.).

Togo
Manatees were previously reported in Kpessi, Agbodrafo, Abatékopé (near Aného), and in Lake Togo at Ekpui, Togoville, Kéta, Akoda and Kouénou, but this is no longer the case (Segniagbeto et al. 2008). The Manatee is observed in Lake Togo with its tributaries the Zio and Haho, and in the Mono River. According to the findings of surveys undertaken in 2006 among riparian communities and field observations, the Manatee population on Lake Togo is important (Segniagbeto et al. 2008). There are two concentration areas in Lake Togo: one in the south of the lake, and the other at the junction between the lake and the River Haho. The existence of these two concentration areas would justify the number of skulls observed in the villages of Amédéhoévé and Dekpo, which are the closest to those areas. It seems that the confluence between Lake Togo and the river Haho generally supports more Manatees than in the Lake Togo-Zio area (Segniagbeto et al. 2008). All interviewed fishermen exploiting Lake Togo have confirmed this. The population in the Mono River is very sparse according to fishermen, but there is a reported area of population concentration at  Adamé. The northern distribution limit of the species in the Mono is in the village of Agomé-Glozou. Young Manatees are regularly observed by fishermen, and in Lake Togo, mating herds are observed especially when individuals are sighted in groups during the flood period of the Haho and Zio Rivers. It is necessary to design a significant map of former and current Manatee areas to establish an efficient conservation status, and to determine any impacts of the Mono River’s Nangbeto hydroelectric dam on Manatees (Segniagbeto et al. 2008). In March 2015, a collaboration between the Togolese NGO Alliance Nationale des Consumateurs et de l’Environment and the Togo Ministry of Security resulted in the arrest of a Manatee hunter in Dékpoé in possession of more than 20 skulls and 40 vertebrae of Manatees. 

Benin
In Benin, the Manatee had been thought to be extinct (Perrin 2001). However, this is not the case (Powell 1996, Tchibozo 2002, Dossou-Bodjrénou 2003, Dossou-Bodjrénou et al. 2006). The Manatee is sporadically distributed across the whole country (Ichola and Tchibozo 2008). It occurs in coastal areas, including estuaries and coastal lagoons, in the great rivers in both brackish and fresh water, and in freshwater lakes, with reported sightings from both northern and southern wetlands (Affomasse 1999, ABE 1999, Guedegbe 2000). In the Niger valley, Manatees may be encountered in areas of medium depth at the confluences of the Mékrou-Niger and the Alibori-Niger, and in the branches of Bello Tounga and Kompa Gourou. Manatees are found in Bonou, Wébossou, Sèkodji Gomè, Ouinhi, Agonli-Houégbo (Kpoto) and Lac Sélé (Adjakpa 2002, Tchibozo 2002). They are frequently seen stranded in seasonal lakes off the Oueme River during the dry season (Tchibozo 2002, Dossou-Bodjrénou et al. 2006, Chabi-Yaouré 2012). In the Mono River, Manatees are seen migrating during high water periods, and are reportedly concentrated near the village of Hêvê and near the beaches of Avlo in the Boucle du Roy in Benin (Dossou-Bodjrénou 2003, Ichola and Tchibozo 2008). Manatees are hunted throughout Benin for food and traditional medicines (Ichola and Tchibozo 2008).

Nigeria
The Manatee is distributed throughout Nigeria including the Niger, Benue and Cross Rivers and their tributaries, as well as coastally (Sykes 1974, Powell 1996, Awobamise 2008). Manatees are present in Lake Kainji above the dam and this population is isolated from other Manatees both upriver (by the Kandjadji dam under construction in northwestern Niger), and downriver by the Kainji dam (constructed in 1968). Manatees occur along the length of the Benue River and most of its tributaries, including the Gongola, Taraba, Donga Rivers, the Pie River as far as Yankari, the Katsena Ala River and the Deb River, which drains Lake Pandam, an important dry season refuge (Powell 1996, Oboto 2002, Sykes 2010). The Manatee is believed to be depleted throughout Nigeria due to hunting and incidental capture during fishing operations, including the use of explosives in rivers (Powell 1996, Oboto 2002, E. Eniang pers. comm.). It is hunted for its meat, oil and for organs used in traditional medicine (Oboto 2002, Awobamise 2008). There is no effective enforcement of protection laws. Another substantial threat is habitat destruction due to development and pollution of the Niger Delta by oil development. A fisherman of Sapele district reported that Manatees of different ages and sizes were found dead and floating after the Jesse petroleum pipeline fire incident (Oboto 2002). Several new studies of Manatees in Nigeria have begun in the last five years, including work by University of Uyo in the Cross River region (E. Eniang et al. unpublished data), a project training former Manatee hunters in aquaculture as an alternative livelihood in Lekki Lagoon near Lagos (B. Dunsin unpublished data), and a new study of Manatees in Lake Pandam (R. Gbegbaje pers. comm.).

Cameroon
In Cameroon, Manatees occur throughout the coastal region, from the extensive mangroves and estuarine waters of the Ndian Delta and Bakassi area in the west to the Wouri and Mungo Rivers and the Cameroon Estuary, and south to the Sanaga River and the lower sections of the Nyong and Ntem Rivers (Nishiwaki 1982, Powell 1996, Noupa 2008). Manatees are frequently observed in the Douala-Edea Wildlife Reserve, the lower Sanaga River, and Lake Tissongo (Takoukam 2012). Manatees occur in the Sanaga River as far as Edea, where there is a dam and rapids, and in Lake Ossa (connected to the Sanaga), which has been documented as an important year round sanctuary (Powell 1996, Takoukam 2012, Mayaka et al. 2015). Inland, Manatees are found in the upper Cross River, especially around the Munaya-Cross confluence, and they also occur in northern Cameroon in the Benue River, from the Faro River and the Mayo-Kebbi to Lakes Tréné and Léré in Chad (Powell 1996). Manatees cannot descend the Benue into Cameroon south of the Lagdo dam. Although Grigione (1996) reported that illegal hunting was very limited in Cameroon, more recent reports have shown otherwise: Manatees are regularly hunted in the lower Sanaga region and Lake Ossa, and Manatee meat can be found in markets in Douala on a regular basis (Powell 1996, Takoukam 2012). Along the coast, incidental capture in fishing nets and habitat destruction are also problems (Takoukam et al. 2013). According to CITES records, two live Manatees were exported from Cameroon to South Korea in 2008, and four more were exported to China in 2010. A new marine mammal stranding network set up in 2013 that covers coastal Cameroon, the Wouri and lower Sanaga Rivers and Lake Ossa documented 157 Manatee sightings (comprising 349 individuals) and thirteen incidentally caught Manatees between February and October 2013 (Takoukam et al. 2013).

Equatorial Guinea
The African Manatee is present in the coastal areas of Equatorial Guinea on mainland Africa, but is absent from Bioko and Annobón islands (Dodman 2008c). The main areas of occurrence are in the Muni and Cogo estuaries, and it most likely occurs in the Rio Woro estuary and the Rio Ecucu near Bata, where one was captured in 1988 (Républica de Guinea Ecuatorial 2005). Machado (1998) considered that the Rio Muni area contained prime habitat for the Manatee. Bolobo (2001) reported that the Rio Muni supported an appreciable population of Manatees. They probably occur in the lower reaches of the Mitémélé River on the mainland (Powell 1996). In the southernmost part of Equatorial Guinea, Manatees are occasionally sighted in Corisco Bay and around Corisco Island where sparse seagrass beds of Halodule wrightii have been documented (Keith and Collins 2007). There are no current Manatee research or conservation activities in Equatorial Guinea.

Gabon
Gabon may have one of the highest densities of Manatees remaining in Africa (Powell 1996, Keith et al. 2006, Keith and Collins 2007, Keith Diagne 2011, Keith Diagne 2014). Reports of opportunistic sightings are common in the N’gowe and N’dogo Lagoons, particularly at the northern ends and in associated rivers (Keith et al. 2006, Keith and Collins 2007). During the rainy season Manatees are also frequently sighted in seasonally flooded lakes off the Rembo Bongo north of N’dogo Lagoon, including Kivoro, Gore, Longa Longa, Mafoume, Mouaga, and Marimossi Lakes (L. Keith Diagne unpublished data). Louembet (2008) reported high Manatee seasonal use of the Abanga River and associated lakes, as well as hunting of 133 Manatees in this region from 2005-2008. Manatees are reported, but are sighted much less frequently in Mondah and Corisco Bays, the Libreville Estuary and Komo River, the lakes of the Ogooue region, and Banio and Fernan Vaz Lagoons (Mbina 2001, Endamne 2007, Keith Diagne 2011, L. Keith Diagne unpublished data). Bycatch occurs in gillnets and directed hunting is reported, primarily in the lower Ogooue River and associated tributaries and lakes in the region of Lambaréné, as well as occasionally in N’dogo Lagoon (Louembet 2008, Mvele and Arrowood 2013, L. Keith Diagne unpublished data, G. Minton pers. comm.). New mitochondrial genetics results for Gabon identified eight control region haplotypes, the highest number found for the species in any African country to date, indicating high genetic diversity (Keith Diagne 2014). Additionally, seven of eight haplotypes only occurred in a single water body, which may indicate strong local adaptation and low genetic mixing (Keith Diagne 2014). Manatees traveling between major lagoons and rivers in Gabon would need to move between these sites using the ocean, which has very strong currents and a narrow continental shelf. African Manatees are rarely documented in the Atlantic Ocean off Gabon, and with abundant food resources in rivers and lagoons, generally do not need to move between freshwater habitats. Similar geophysical barriers have been hypothesized to impede movements of West Indian manatees (Hunter et al. 2012).   

Republic of the Congo
Manatees occur throughout coastal rivers, lakes and lagoons of the Republic of the Congo, and have been documented in Conkouati National Park, and the Kouilou and Loémé Rivers (Akoi 1994, Kaya 2005, Bal and Bréheret 2007, Kaya 2008). Surveys of Conkouati Lagoon and adjacent rivers and lakes indicated that Manatees are seen primarily in the lakes and at the mouth of Conkouati Lagoon near sandbanks (Akoi 1994, Dodman et al. 2006, L. Keith Diagne unpublished data). Surveys of the Kouilou River region conducted by the NGO Renatura (Bal and Bréheret 2007) confirmed Manatee presence in Lakes Nanga, Ndinga, and Katina, as well as the following tributaries of the Kouilou: the Mboukou Massi, the Loundji, and the Midounvo rivers. However, the same study concluded that Manatees were not present in Lake Youbi and presence could not be confirmed in Lake Koubambi (Bal and Bréheret 2007). In the Loémé River, Manatees are reported primarily in the lower river and its estuarine areas, and fishermen also reported that Manatees occur in Lake Kayo, south of the Loémé, in the dry season (Kaya 2005).

The Democratic Republic of the Congo
Hatt (1934) and Powell (1996) reported that Manatees were common in the lower reaches of the Congo River. Manatees are regularly reported along the coast at Parc Marin des Mangroves and a hunted Manatee was observed at Boma in 2013 (S. Mbungu pers. comm.) Status is unknown, but given the frequency of sightings reported across the river on the Angola side (Collins et al. 2011) it is possible there is a sizeable population in the lower Congo River. Powell (1996) reported that a local name for the species exists in the upper reaches of the Congo River so it may occur there as well, although other reports for this region (Dodman 2008b, J. Hart pers. comm.) do not believe Manatees exist above the rapids, and today it would have to be an extremely isolated subpopulation since it is unlikely Manatees can traverse the extreme gorges in the river west of Kinshasa.

Angola
Manatees have been reported along the coast from the Congo River in the north, to the Longa River in central Angola, but little information is available on abundance or status (Powell 1996, Dodman 2008a, Collins et al. 2011). Morais (2006) found Manatees in the Longa River, extending their southernmost range to that river from the Cuanza. Manatees have been documented the length of the Cuanza River and its tributaries and lagoons from the river mouth to Cambambe dam, which, prior to construction of the dam, was characterized by steep rapids that also presented a natural barrier (Morais 2006). The Manatees’ distribution also extends up the Lucala River (a main tributary on the north bank) for at least 30 km upstream from the Cuanza River. Key sites of the river basin include areas at and around Cauigia Lagoon, Cabemba Lagoon, the Tôa Lagoons, Quissungo Lagoon and a small extension of the Ngolome Lagoon, as well as in the Caua River and in the Massangano region (Morais 2006). Based upon boat and interview surveys conducted from 2007-2009 in the lower Congo River from the mouth to 40 km upriver, as well as numerous tributaries on the Angola side of the river, Manatees are commonly sighted in this region (Collins et al. 2011). One Manatee was sighted by the survey team in the Nzadi Caca tributary of the Congo River in 2007 and it stayed near the boat for 1.5 hours, surfacing approximately every 8-10 minutes (Collins et al. 2011). Only one local hunter was identified in all interviews of villages from the mouth to 40 km upriver, and he was interviewed by L. Keith Diagne before he passed away in 2008. The hunter estimated he had killed approximately three Manatees a week (using harpoons and nets) for the past 30 years (L. Keith Diagne unpublished data). Manatees are hunted on the Cuanza River, Manatee meat has been seen for sale in the capital of Luanda, and a fisherman from a village at a lagoon on the Bengo River reported 77 Manatees killed during 1998 (Ron 1998, Morais 2006). Xavier (2011) documented a Manatee hunted by net capture in Lake Caúmba.

Mali
Manatees are found throughout the entire Niger River system of Mali and in the Bani River but may have been reduced by hunting (Powell 1996, Berthe 2011). The Makala dam at Segou (constructed in 1945), another planned dam at Taoussa, as well as additional dams in Guinea and Niger, have chopped Mali’s Niger River Manatee populations into smaller habitat areas, and is of great concern for the conservation of the species in that country. There are no estimates of population numbers. In 2010 a Manatee carcass was recovered in Koulikoro (Timbo 2010), constituting the furthest inland record for the species, although there are reports of sightings further west from Bamako (Kienta et al. 2008). Manatees are frequently sighted in the Bani River near Djenné and Mopti, and have been documented regularly drinking from a freshwater spring near the village of Sokon (Berthe 2011). Manatees are also frequently reported in Lake Debo and the surrounding area in the inland Niger delta (Kienta 1985, Kombo and Toko 1991, Kienta et al. 2008). In western Mali Manatees occur in the Senegal River up to the Felou dam at Kayes, which prevents them from moving further upriver (L. Keith Diagne unpublished data).

Niger
Poche (1973) declared the Manatee extinct in Niger’s Park W, but this is not the case. A study by Ciofolo and Sadou (1996) found Manatees throughout the Niger River in Niger. In the northern Ayorou region (extending from the border with Mali to Tounga Faire), Manatees were sighted throughout the year and a large number of skulls collected by hunters indicated heavy poaching (Ciofolo and Sadou 1996). In the region of Park W, Manatees were sighted in the main channel of the Niger River and a female was accidentally captured in 2002 (Ciofolo and Sadou 1996, Issa 2008). In 2010 a new Manatee study was initiated in this region (Boubacar 2010). In the southern Niger Boumba-Gaya section of the river, Manatees have been observed during low water periods, which may indicate migration elsewhere during other times of the year (Ciofolo and Sadou 1996). A male Manatee was captured in this area in 2004 but only survived in captivity for two weeks (Issa 2008). In June 2012, several Manatees were observed together in the Niger River in downtown Niamey near a major bridge (a possible mating herd). One female from this group was harpooned and killed by a hunter; the carcass was confiscated and biological samples were collected (Boubacar 2012). Manatees are heavily hunted throughout Niger for meat and organs (which are believed to have healing powers), and although the species is fully protected under national laws, there is little if any enforcement (Issa 2008).

Chad
Manatees were once abundant in the Chad basin including the Chari, Bamingui, Bahr-Kieta, and Logone Rivers, but became rare by 1924 and are now believed to be extinct in this region (Hatt 1934, Powell 1996, Salkind 1998). Lake Chad is greatly reduced in size and desertification is a big problem there. Today Manatees occur only in Lakes Lére and Tréne, as well as the Mayo-Kebbi River which feeds the lakes from the west (Idriss 2008). In a survey in 1995, Manatees were found to be less abundant than formerly, but not uncommon in both lakes (Salkind 1998). Hunting continued on the rivers and lakes, despite enforcement efforts. The animals were sought mainly for their oil, which is shipped with dried meat to Cameroon (Perrin 2001). As of 2011 it has been reported that there are few Manatees left in Lakes Lére and Tréne, and that the local people have formed “militias” to protect the Manatees from Nigerian poachers who come across the border to kill them at night (J. Hart and A. Wachoum pers. comms.).

Burkina Faso
Manatees inhabit all of the nations that surround Burkina Faso (Mali, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Niger), but have never been reported within this country. They are present in Volta Lake above the dam (see Ghana above). However, Perrin (2001) could find no mention of its occurrence in the upper tributaries of the Volta (White Volta, Red Volta and Black Volta) or in the Mekrou River, which forms the boundary between Burkina Faso and Togo/Benin and drains the wetlands of the Parc National de l'Arly. Pending directed surveys, its occurrence there must be considered possible (Perrin 2001).

West and Central Africa contain a variety of suitable habitats for Manatees ranging from large and small rivers, coastal estuaries, freshwater and saltwater lagoons, shallow quiet coastal bays, lakes and reservoirs. Like T. manatus, T. senegalensis inhabits practically every accessible habitat (Powell 1996, Dodman et al. 2008). They have been observed or recorded from coastal areas, estuarine lagoons, large rivers that range from brackish to fresh water, freshwater lakes and the extreme upper reaches of rivers above cataracts. In general, their habitat requirements seem to be similar to T. manatus and require sheltered water with access to food and freshwater (Reep and Bonde 2006, Marsh et al. 2012). They may transit areas of unsheltered coast, but they are usually rare in these areas.

Optimal coastal habitats for Manatees, based on the movements of radio-tagged Manatees in Côte d’Ivoire and the number of reported sightings from other areas are: a). coastal lagoons with abundant growth of mangroves, aquatic plants or emergent herbaceous growth; b). estuarine areas of larger rivers with abundant mangroves (Rhizophora racemosa, R. harrisonii, R. mangle) in the lower reaches and lined with grasses, particularly Vossia and Echinochloa further upriver; and c). shallow (<3 m depth) and protected coastal areas with fringing mangroves or marine macrophytes, particularly Ruppia sp., Halodule wrightii or Cymodocea nodosa. In riverine habitats that have major fluctuations in flow rates and water levels, Manatees seem to prefer those areas that have access to deep pools or connecting lakes for refuge during the dry season and seasonally flood into swamps, savannas or forests with abundant grasses and sedges. In central African countries including Gabon and Republic of the Congo, Manatees use coastal lagoons during the dry season and then migrate up rivers to feed in flooded forests and lakes during the rainy season (Dodman et al. 2008, Keith Diagne unpublished data). Manatees that live extremely far inland in rivers in countries such as Senegal and Mali use specific feeding areas where year round aquatic and shoreline plants occur and also feed on freshwater mussels and fish, and then spread out onto flood plains during the rainy season to feed on emergent vegetation (Keith Diagne 2014).

African Manatees feed primarily on vegetation, and over 70 species of plants have been documented to date as Manatee food throughout their range (Villiers and Bessac 1948, Powell 1996, Reeves et al. 1988, Akoi 2004, Ogogo et al. 2013, Keith Diagne 2014). Some of the species more commonly observed being eaten by Manatees include: Vossia sp., Eichornia crassipes, Polygonum sp., Crinum natans, Nymphea sp., Cyperus papyrus, Cymodocea nodosa, Ceratophyllum demersum, Azolla sp., Echinochloa sp., Lemna sp., Myriophyllum sp., Pistia stratioties, Rhizophora sp, and Halodule wrightii. In countries including Senegal (Keith Diagne 2014), Cameroon (Takoukam and Koh Dimbot pers. comm.), and Sierra Leone (Reeves et al. 1988), Manatees are also known to eat small fish captured in fishermen’s nets. Manatees are also reported to eat freshwater and estuarine molluscs in many countries, including Senegal, The Gambia, Mali, Gabon, and Angola, and shell remains have been found in Manatee stomachs (Powell 1996, Collins et al. 2011, Keith Diagne 2014). Stable isotope analyses examined Manatee diet using samples from Gabon and Senegal and determined that molluscs and fish comprised 10% of  Manatee average lifetime diet in Gabon, and 50% of diet in both freshwater and marine systems in Senegal (Keith Diagne 2014). Therefore, the African Manatee is not strictly herbivorous, but is omnivorous, a distinct difference from the other Manatee species.

Manatees can travel freely from salt to freshwater. They appear to prefer estuarine areas where there is little disturbance and the waters are shallow and calm. They can be found in marine habitats where there is relatively calm water and a source of freshwater. For example, in Senegal, The Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau, Manatees are attracted to a large network of freshwater seeps or springs that are found in nearshore marine habitats (Powell 1990).

T. senegalensis are mostly solitary, with mothers and calves forming the principal social unit. Manatees will often rest together in loose, small groups of two to ten individuals and mating herds have been observed in Gabon, Senegal, Nigeria and Sierra Leone (E. Eniang pers. comm., Keith Diagne unpublished data). In some African countries such as Côte d’Ivoire, Manatees feed principally at night and travel in the late afternoon and at night (Powell 1996), but in other countries such as Gabon’s N’dogo and N’gowe Lagoons and in the Casamance region of Senegal they can be seen travelling and feeding during all hours of day and night (Keith et al. 2006, Keith and Collins 2007, Keith Diagne unpublished data). They usually rest during the day in water that is 1–2 m deep and sometimes in the middle of a watercourse or hidden in mangrove roots or under natant vegetation. They make little disturbance while swimming. The Manatees that are easily sighted during daylight hours generally occur in places where little hunting occurs.

• Senegal – Manatee conservation at Tocc Tocc Community Natural Reserve, a protected area at Lake Guiers, which was named Senegal’s fifth Ramsar site in early March 2014 (L. Keith Diagne and Diagne unpublished data), a countrywide status and distribution study by L. Keith Diagne, and a national marine mammal stranding network implemented in 2015 (Mullie, Diagne, Keith Diagne, and Djiba, unpublished data) ;
• Guinea – cultural practices and Manatee conservation in the Forécariah estuaries (O. Camara Masters thesis research);
• Ghana – Dr. P. Ofori-Dansen’s long-term study of Manatees in Lake Volta;
• Mali – in the Bani River and inland Niger delta, Soumaila Berthe is building a local Manatee monitoring network and determining Manatee important use areas through habitat assessments and sightings. This project is also conducting extensive educational outreach programmes in the region;
• Nigeria – conservation of the African Manatee through community based aquaculture development in Ise Community, Lagos is training former Manatee hunters in aquaculture as an alternative livelihood (B. Dunsin unpublished data), Bio-ecology of West African Manatees in the Badagry and Yewa Lagoons of southwestern Nigeria (U. Ejimadu unpublished data), threats, occurrence and distribution of the West African Manatee in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria: what anthropogenic factors affect their population and what prospects exist for their conservation? (E. Eniang L. Luiselli, F. Petrozi, E. Egwali and A. Nchor unpublished data), habitat quality and hydrobiological factors influencing the occurrence of Manatees in the Lower Qua Iboe and Eniong Rivers (E. Egwali doctoral research), ecology and conservation of West African Manatee  in Eniong Creek, implications for sustainable conservation (O. Nkameyin Masters research);
• Niger – biology and distribution of Manatees in Parc W (B. Boubacar doctoral research);
• Cameroon – assessing the distribution, bycatch and strandings of Manatees on the Cameroon coast and at Douala-Edea Wildlife Reserve, and Manatee research training for biologists and university students (A. Takoukam doctoral research), habitat use and seasonal availability of African Manatee in Lake Ossa Wildlife Reserve, Littoral Region of Cameroon (R. Ngafack Masters thesis research);
• Gabon – countrywide Manatee status and distribution (Keith Diagne), Manatee surveys and habitat use of N’dogo Lagoon (C. Nkollo Masters thesis research), Manatee bushmeat surveys and educational outreach campaign of the Ogooue River and Lakes region (Mvele and Arrowood 2013b);
• Angola – Manatee use of the Dande River and associated lakes (M. Xavier);
• Range-wide – phylogenetics, feeding ecology and age determination studies of the African Manatee (L. Keith Diagne).

• Cameroon – Campo Ma'an National Park, Douala-Edea Wildlife Reserve, Lake Ossa Wildlife Reserve, Korup National Park;
• The Democratic Republic of the Congo – Parc Marin des Mangroves;
• Republic of the Congo – Parc National de Conkouati;
• Gabon – Akanda National Park, Loango National Park, Mayumba National Park, Pongara National Park;
• Gambia – Baboon Island National Park, Bao Bolong Wetland Reserve, Niumi National Park, Kiang West National Park, Tanbi Wetlands Complex;
• Ghana – Digya National Park;
• Guinea – National Park of Upper Niger;
• Guinea-Bissau – Cantanhez Forest National Park, Orango Islands National Park, Joao Vieira Poilao Islands Marine National Park;
• Ivory Coast – Azagny National Park, Iles Eotiles National Park;
• Mauritania – Diawling National Park;
• Nigeria – Kainji Lake National Park, Pandam Wildlife Park, Jos Wildlife Park, Obudu Game Reserve;
• Niger – Le Parc du W;
• Senegal – Parc National de Basse Casamance, Parc National du Delta du Saloum, Parc National des Oiseaux de Djoudj, Reserve Naturelle Communitaire de Tocc Tocc, Parc National du Niokolo-Koba, and Sanctuaire Ornithologique de la Pointe de Kalissaye.