Dear Marmam,

My co-authors and I are pleased to announce our new publication:

Mayaka, T.B., J.P. Koh-Dimbot and L.W. Keith-Diagne. 2019. Occurrence patterns of African manatees, conflicts with humans, and local perception in the Southern Korup Area, Cameroon. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, Early Release, pages 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3210

Abstract: 

1. The African manatee has been poorly studied throughout its range and is heavily

hunted. This study aimed at discerning patterns in manatee sightings and emerging

conflicts with humans, as well as the local perception of manatees, outside the

southern periphery of Korup National Park, Cameroon.

2. The study investigated whether patterns in manatee sightings and manatee‐related

conflicts differ between aquatic systems in southern Korup, and which demographic

variables determine perceptions of the manatee in the study area. For this

purpose, the study used a three‐stage stratified random sampling design with a

structured questionnaire to survey 101 local fishers.

3. The reported patterns of manatee sightings and manatee‐related conflicts were as

follows: in the Nyangorobe River during the wet season only, where crop raiding

and net destruction by manatees were reported; in the Ndian River and the mangrove

estuary only during the dry season, where fish theft and net damage were

reported; and in the Moko River during both seasons, where crop raiding, fish

theft, and net destruction were reported. Reducing these conflicts is likely to

increase local support for the conservation of manatees, because fishermen kill

them in response to net destruction and fish loss.

4. Most reported sightings were at waterway intersections and river bends, suggesting

that waterway connectivity is important to manatees for dispersal, foraging,

and escape from danger.

5. The log‐odds probability of negative perception decreased significantly with

awareness of manatee protected status but increased with age and primary or

higher education level. These findings have implications for community outreach

focused on raising awareness of the importance of manatee conservation by

schoolchildren and the public.