Diet composition of the African manatee: Spatial and temporal variation within the Sanaga River Watershed, Cameroon.

ABSTRACT: The present study aimed to investigate the diet of African manatees in Cameroon to better inform conservation decisions within protected areas. A large knowledge gap on diet and seasonal changes in forage availability limits the ability to develop informed local management plans for the African manatee in much of its range. This research took place in the Sanaga River Watershed, which includes two protected areas in the Littoral Region of Cameroon: the Douala-Edea National Park and the Lake Ossa Wildlife Reserve. We analyzed 113 manatee fecal samples and surveyed shoreline emergent and submerged vegetation within the Sanaga River Watershed. We used microhistological analyses to determine the relative contribution of each plant species to African manatee diets and compared across locations

SUBMITTER: Takoukam Kamla A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8601922 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature