The National Aquarium Abu Dhabi partnership
Teaming up with the National Aquarium, The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund supports the African Aquatic Conservation Agency in its mission to safeguard African manatees in their natural habitats.
Proceeds from The National Aquarium will be facilitated by the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund to support the African Aquatic Conservation Fund. Initial funds will contribute towards:
- Research and conservation efforts for African manatees in Senegal and Guinea, including. threat assessments, population genetics, acoustics, feeding ecology, physiology, and other relevant studies aimed at protecting the species.
- This initiative will provide support for a minimum of 10 researchers.
- Funding will also be allocated to African graduate students conducting research on African manatees, covering expenses such as fieldwork data collection, laboratory analyses, tuition fees (if applicable), and travel to present their findings at conferences.
- Priority will be given to students from Senegal, Guinea, and Cameroon, with at least four graduate students expected to receive support for their studies at universities.
Partnerships like these are crucial in our mission to safeguard biodiversity and preserve ecosystems. By pooling resources, knowledge, and efforts, communities can address the complex challenges facing our natural world. This collaboration serves as a shining example of companies coming together to support species conservation in their natural habitats.
Lucy Keith-Diagne from the African Aquatic Conservation Fund
African manatee research and conservation in Senegal focuses on identifying and reducing threats from poaching, fisheries bycatch, dams, and habitat destruction, rescues of injured or orphaned manatees, studying the habitat use, diet, and genetics of the coastal and Senegal River populations, sampling of dead manatees to increase knowledge of health and physiology of the species, as well as training for African researchers and educational outreach programs throughout the country to teach people the importance of protecting manatees. There is so little known about African manatees that all our work is breaking new ground to better understand this rare and elusive species and the wide range of habitats it needs to thrive.
“Research and conservation of African manatees is essential, not only to better understand this shy species itself, but for its importance as an indicator of the health of both marine and freshwater systems throughout the western side of the African continent”
Paul Hamilton from the National Aquarium
Emphasized the significance of the institution’s research efforts in understanding and conserving African manatees. He highlighted the dedicated team of specialists and researchers who have been studying the behavior and ecology of these remarkable creatures. The insights gleaned from this research will play a crucial role in developing effective conservation strategies to safeguard the future of African manatees in their natural habitats.