Africa-Press – Angola. The environmental association Angofauna is carrying out a program to protect the Manatines, also known as Peixe Boi, a species in danger of extinction in Angola.
Speaking this Monday, the president of the Association, Tailene Pontes, said that this is a species that is culturally consumed by populations in riverside areas and, due to the fact that its reproductive system is very slow, in three-year intervals, entered the list of animals at risk.
He said that the animal is included in Annex I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) and on Angola’s red list of endangered animals.
“We have to be careful with pollution and the invasion of the Manatins areas”, he warned.
He informed that the preservation plan involves carrying out scientific studies, to better understand the needs of its habitat and help the authorities in the elaboration of legislation for the protection of this species.
In general, Tailene Pontes informed that Angofauna intends to develop programs that help in the formation of citizens aware of the importance of the environment, educating children and young people for this reality.
On the other hand, the association, he said, has been working to guarantee the defense of animal life and the conservation of the environment, in particular vulnerable species.
Among the association’s projects, there is also the rescue of chimpanzees, which, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), are in “danger” and under threat of extinction, due to hunting and the destruction of the environment. environment, especially in Central and West Africa.
Ten years ago, he detailed, around two million chimpanzees lived in Africa.
“The loss of its habitat and the exploitation of various mineral resources are the main causes of the drastic drop in the numbers of the species”, he explained.
aquatic mammal
The African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis), also known as manatee, is an aquatic mammal that lives in shallow waters of the oceanic coast, rivers and lakes of Africa and America.
Characteristic is the greyish body, fusiform in shape, with a ventrally flattened back. They have three to four nails on the pectoral fins and no spots on the ventral region.
They are important because they fertilize river water with the nutrients found in their urine and faeces. These nutrients are released to phytoplankton, which is the base of the aquatic food chain. In addition, they contribute to the biological control of aquatic plants.
UN data indicate that there are three species of manatees in the world.
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