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Happy Monday everyone! Today's "fish" of the day is the West African manatee!
The West African manatee, known by scientific name Trichechus senegalensis is one of the three remaining manatee species in the entire world. Their range extends from some offshore islands in the Atlantic, to rivers that go further inland. Some families even swim up the congo river yearly during the wet season and descend back to the ocean when dry. This however has led to manatees becoming trapped in rivers after dams are built, such as the Maka-Diama dam isolating species in the senegal river.
African manatees are very similar to the other two manatee species, with the exception that they are omnivores. Other manatees are only herbivores, their diet relying on seagrass almost exclusively, whereas African manatees are found eating crustaceans, mollusks, and fish found in nets or nests. Their behaviour is nocturnal, unlike other sirenians, and they are very social. Although they have significantly reduced communication abilities compared to whales, they can be found communicating with other members of their pod, with each member having a specific name. Their pods usually have 2 to 6 members, but when the wet season appears they migrate in much larger groups.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Monday!