National Aquarium Abu Dhabi organised an underwater iftar for its newest residents - two African Manatees

Two African Manatees, the National Aquarium Abu Dhabi's newest inhabitants, were lavishly welcomed with an underwater iftar. For the first time in the area, the "extremely rare" African Manatees are now part of the aquarium's collection of more than 46,000 marine and terrestrial creatures. The public will be able to see the manatees' breathtaking beauty and hear from local experts on the species starting on the first day of Eid Al Fitr.

African manatees are only permitted to be housed in a few number of institutions worldwide, according to Paul Hamilton, general manager of the National Aquarium. The longest underwater tunnel in the area, which provides a captivating view of the many fish species and marine life, served as the venue for the exclusive iftar. Many ambassadors, diplomats, and officials—many of them were from African countries—were in attendance.

Both gentle giants were easily observed swimming around their new habitat, frequently approaching the glass wall to pose for pictures. African manatees are gentle omnivores essential to their ecosystems and are native to the warm interior and coastal seas of West and Central Africa. They are also sometimes referred to as sea cows. 

From Senegal to Angola, these aquatic animals live in nutrient-rich areas of water and are reclusive. These magnificent animals are threatened by a number of factors, including habitat loss, poaching, dam entrapment, and bycatch in fisheries, despite their significance to the ecosystem. As part of the aquarium's African Manatee Project, which attempts to raise public awareness and motivate conservation action, the endangered sea cows were imported into the nation. 

The National Aquarium gives visitors a rare chance to see and learn about these amazing animals up close in a refuge that is designed to roughly resemble the manatees' natural environment in Africa. The pair were flown in from South Korea on a dedicated aeroplane with a group of experts keeping a careful eye on the Manatees.

The noble goals of this initiative include protecting a species that is seriously threatened in its natural habitats, educating the public about marine conservation issues, advancing research into the behaviour and ecology of African manatees, and funding projects that support the preservation of manatees in West Africa through contributions to the African Aquatic Conservation Fund. In order to promote the preservation of the species in their native habitat, the aquarium will also offer handcrafted goods created by African artists, with a percentage of the sales going to the Mohamed Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund.