Mo Ganji: Amazonian Manatee | Amazonas-Manati | Trichechus inunguis | No. 007/250 from work group 8/99

Amazonian Manatee | Amazonas-Manati | Trichechus inunguis

In a single, continuous line, Mo Ganji shapes the quiet presence of the Amazonian manatee — a gentle aquatic herbivore drifting through the black- and white-water systems of the Amazon Basin. The unbroken stroke reflects Ganji’s core philosophy: reduction to what is essential, revealing the underlying connections between beings and their environments. In this minimalist form, the manatee appears both weightless and grounded, a reminder of how even large species can exist in profound vulnerability.

Trichechus inunguis is the only manatee species restricted entirely to freshwater. According to the IUCN Red List, it is currently classified as Vulnerable (VU), with populations decreasing. Major threats include illegal hunting, bycatch in fishing gear, habitat degradation, and disturbances from expanding river traffic. Deforestation and changes in hydrology also affect the availability of aquatic vegetation on which the species depends.

Ganji’s single line mirrors the manatee’s quiet movement along submerged forest edges — a life that leaves few traces yet depends on intact ecosystems. The drawing becomes a subtle reminder that even seemingly abundant waterways conceal species whose survival rests on a thin margin. By reducing the animal to one uninterrupted gesture, the artwork underscores the fragility of its future and the importance of protecting the waters that sustain it.