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Nonprofit Overview
Causes: Animals
Mission: Through focused research, conservation, and education actions, the african aquatic conservation fund is dedicated to the preservation of african manatees, turtles, and other aquatic wildlife and their habitats throughout the african continent. We work in close partnership with local people, scientists, governments, and other stakeholders for the benefit of both wildlife and humans.
Programs: The african manatee project leader supervised nine graduate students and conducted training and fieldwork programs in senegal, cameroon and ivory coast. African manatee coastal threat assessments began in five countries (senegal, the gambia, nigeria, cameroon, and democratic republic of the congo) led by the african manatee project leader. Two african manatees were rescued from fishing nets in joal, senegal and released in a marine protected area. African manatee genetics, feeding ecology, and age determination studies continued with collaborators from six african countries. Two book chapters were published and six scientific manuscripts are in preparation. Research results were presented at two conferences (iucn sahelo-saharan interest group and the society of marine mammalogy biennial)
the african chelonian institute (aci) housed 74 freshwater turtles confiscated by senegal's wildlife authority from illegal traffickers, provided medical care and released them back to the wild in a protected area. Our captive breeding facility successfully raised 155 hatchling freshwater turtles of two species. Aci provided educational programs to six school groups and over 100 visitors. Fieldwork for critically endangered forest tortoises was conducted in benin and nigeria in collaboration with local communities. Training in turtle identification and field research techniques was provided for 15 national park biologists and graduate students in ivory coast.
the senegal stranding network conducted two coastal stranding surveys, documented 19 stranded sea turtles and 33 stranded cetaceans (all were sampled for genetics, taxonomy and other data collection). Research results were presented to the department of fisheries in dakar, senegal, and at the society of marine mammalogy conference in halifax, nova scotia, where the presentation won a $10,000 award from ifaw for our work.