Luanda - The environmental association Angofauna has created a protection programme to protect the manatee, a species in danger of extinction in Angola, the head of the Association, Tailene Pontes, has said.
Pontes said the species is culturally consumed by the populations in riverine areas and, due to the fact that its reproductive system is very slow, in intervals of three years, it entered the list of endangered animals.
Pontes underlined that the animal is currently part of the Annex I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (Cites) and Angola's red list of endangered animals.
"Care must be taken with pollution and encroachment upon Manatins areas", Pontes warned.
The head of the association informed that the preservation plan involves carrying out scientific studies to better understand the needs of its habitat and help authorities to draft legislation to protect this species.
In general, Pontes said that Angofauna intends to develop programmes to help the training of citizens to be aware of the importance of the environment, educating children and young people about this reality.
The association, Pontes went on to say, has worked to ensure the defence of animal life and the conservation of the environment, particularly of vulnerable species.
Amongst the association's projects is the rescue of chimpanzees, which according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, are in "danger" and under threat of extinction, due to poaching and destruction of the environment, particularly in Central and West Africa.
Ten years ago, Pontes disclosed, there were about two million chimpanzees living in Africa.
"The loss of their habitat and the exploitation of various mineral resources are the main causes of the drastic decline in the number of this species' numbers", he explained.
Aquatic mammal
The African manatee (trichechus senegalensis), also known as manatee, is an aquatic mammal, which lives in shallow waters of the ocean coast, rivers and lakes of Africa and America.
They are important because they fertilize river water with nutrients found in their urine and feces. These nutrients are released into the 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. VS/ART/Amp/jmc
