FAU Harbor Branch Researcher Joins Historic Cameroon Manatee Expedition

Wendy Marks, research coordinator, Marine Wildlife and Veterinary Medicine and Research Lab at FAU Harbor Branch (pictured on the far right, above), was part of a recent multi-institutional African manatee research expedition in Cameroon. Led by the National Marine Mammal Foundation and the African Manatee Conservation Organization, this was Africa's first-ever manatee health assessment at one of Cameroon's largest lakes, Lake Ossa. While the manatees proved elusive, the effort marked an important step forward in research and conservation efforts for these endangered marine mammals. Through hands-on training, collaboration with local biologists, volunteers, and fishers, and shared expertise among international partners, the team strengthened local capacity for future work. Multiple manatees were observed during the expedition, including mother and calf pairs, which the researchers on the ground described as a positive sign for the continued return of endangered African manatees to Lake Ossa.