It provides protection to the endangered manatee population situated at the mouth of the Congo River.

Projections suggest that manatee populations would decline upon the removal of these discharges.

Nearly 1/3 of the nation's manatee population lives here or migrates through the Lagoon seasonally.

Due to mass lack of enforcement and education, the African manatee population is still being steadily depleted.

Due to their low reproductive rates, a decline in manatee population may be hard to overcome.

Various human activities threaten manatee populations, and activists working to save the species aggressively protest these actions.

The city is also known for its large manatee population.

Although many state scientists remain optimistic, professing that long-term trends indicate a healthy, growing manatee population, others are less optimistic.

This system was installed to protect the endangered manatee population that inhabits regions of the Banana River where the ships are based.

The decision was based on several factors, including an increase in the manatee population to more than 3,000 this year from about 1,000 in the late 1970's.