Banco National Park

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West Africa > Côte d’Ivoire > Banco National Park

Summary

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  • Western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) are present in Banco National Park.
  • It has been estimated that around 26 individuals occur in the site.
  • The chimpanzee population trend is stable.
  • The site has a total size of 34 km².
  • Key threats to chimpanzees are pollution, hunting, and pressure from urban surroundings.
  • Conservation activities have focused on conservation and environmental awareness campaigns and education.
  • The site is surrounded by the capital city of Abidjan.

Site characteristics

Banco National Park chimpanzees © OIPRCI

The Banco National Park was created in October 1953. It is located in the heart of the Ivorian economic capital, Abidjan, and is bounded by the municipalities of Adjamé, Attécoubé, Abobo, and Yopougon. The surface of the park has shrunk over the years and now covers an area of 3,438 hectares. Being the unique remaining relic of the dense primary forest that once covered the area of Abidjan, Banco National Park is often described as the hydraulic reservoir and green lung of the economic capital of Côte d'Ivoire. This protected area is a center for environmental education (OIPR n.d.). The park holds about 600 ha of primary forests; an arboretum of over 800 species of higher plants native to the tropics of Africa, Asia and Latin America; many fish ponds located in the heart of the park, a semi-natural swimming pool, an ecomuseum, and the presence of a family of chimpanzees (OIPR n.d.). Based on a wildlife survey (Bitty et al. 2013), the site is home to a number mammal species, including primates (chimpanzees, Campbell's mona monkey, and lesser white-nosed monkey), ungulates (harnessed bushbuck, Maxwell's duiker, Royal antelope), and predators, such as the cape genet, common kusimanse, and African civet (OIPR n.d.).

Table 1. Basic site information for Banco National Park

Area 34 km²
Coordinates 5.395175 , -4.052743
Designation National Park
Habitat types Subtropical/tropical dry forest, subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical/tropical heavily degraded former forest, arable land, plantations, urban areas, canals and drainage channels, ditches, permanent rivers/streams/creeks (includes waterfalls), seasonal/intermittent/irregular rivers/streams/creeks, ponds [below 8 ha], aquaculture ponds, permanent freshwater marshes/pools (under 8 ha), seasonal/intermittent freshwater marshes/pools

IUCN habitat categories Site designations

Ape status

A marked nest count study conducted in the Banco National Park in 2006 confirmed the presence of a small chimpanzee population. Twentysix fresh nests (including single nests and a group of up to 5 nests) were found along transects, and 5 off transects. The population was estimated to be around 20 individuals. In 2006, assistants succeeded several times to directly observe chimpanzees in groups of over ten individuals (WCF n.d.). Visitors of the park sighted ca. 20 chimpanzees in 2013 (Normand, E., personal communication). The manager of the park supports a group of up to 40 chimpanzees, and 3-4 isolated individuals are occasionally seen in the park (Bakayoko, H, pers. com). Based on these corroborating statements, the population of chimpanzees within the site is likely stable or increasing.

Table 2. Ape population estimates in Banco National Park

Species Year Abundance estimate (95% CI) Density estimate [ind./ km²] (95% CI) Encounter rate (nests/km) Area Method Source Comments A.P.E.S. database ID
Pan troglodytes verus 2006 7 (4-14) 0.22 Banco National Park Line transects (Distance) WCF 2009
Pan troglodytes verus 2013 20 Banco National Park Informed guess Normand, E. personal comm., 2016
Pan troglodytes verus 2021 40-50 Banco National Park Informed guess Bakayoko, Hillihase, personal comm. 2021

Threats

Banco National Park chimpanzees © OIPRCI

Banco National Park is highly threatened by the neighboring populations, which exert a high pressure on the fauna and flora of the park. Snares are regularly found and poachers caught, illustrating that poaching is very much present within the park. Pollution is a real challenge for the park. The different types of pollution caused by domestic, artisanal, or industrial discharges destroy trees and pollute the land over an average distance of 200 m around the sources of pollution (Kouadio & Singh 2020). The park's isolation in the urban area of Abidjan and various types of human activities near the park are the main cause of the pollution observed. In Abobo, to the north and north-east of the park, the various economic activities linked to the sale and repair of automobiles, in particular, the “Abidjan Automobile Casse”, lead to the rejection of a large quantity of abandoned spare parts in the park forest. In addition, engine oils are discharged into polluted water drainage channels which then flow into the park (Kouadio & Singh 2020). The second source of pollution in the Banco forest include the septic waste from the neighboring communities and the Abidjan main detention center (MACA), the largest prison in Côte d'Ivoire, located at the southwestern edge of the park. Waste from septic tanks is also discharged into the park. The park is also bordered by several Small and Medium Industrial Enterprises, and also by small artisanal production units of traditional soaps made by chemical fermentation. These units are located to the north-east in the commune of Adjamé and to the south-west in Yopougon. The liquid waste produced by these units is directly discharged into the park (Kouadio & Singh 2020).

Table 3. Threats to apes in Banco National Park

Category Specific threats Threat level Quantified severity Description Year of threat
1. Residential & commercial development 1.1 Housing & urban areas Medium Ongoing (2021)
1.2 Commercial & industrial areas Present, but threat severity unknown Ongoing (2021)
2. Agriculture & aquaculture 2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops Present, but threat severity unknown Ongoing (2021)
3. Energy production & mining Unknown
4. Transportation & service corridors Unknown
5. Biological resource use 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals High Ongoing (2021)
5.2 Gathering terrestrial plants High Ongoing (2021)
5.3 Logging & wood harvesting High Ongoing (2021)
6. Human intrusion & disturbance 6.1 Recreational activities Low Ongoing (2021)
7. Natural system modifications Unknown
8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases 8.1 Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases Present, but threat severity unknown Ongoing (2021)
9. Pollution 9.1 Domestic & urban waste water High Ongoing (2021)
9.2 Industrial & military effluents Present, but threat severity unknown Ongoing (2021)
9.4 Garbage & solid waste Medium Ongoing (2021)
9.6 Excess energy High Ongoing (2021)
10. Geological Events Absent
11. Climate change & severe weather Unknown
12. Other options Absent

IUCN Threats list

Conservation activities

The Banco NP has become a hotspot for education and awareness campaigns for environment conservation in Abidjan. Many NGO regularly organize popular events within the park involving kids, neighboring communities, students, etc.

Table 4. Conservation activities in Banco National Park

Category Specific activity Description Year of activity
1. Residential & commercial development Not reported
2. Agriculture & aquaculture Not reported
3. Energy production & mining Not reported
4. Transportation & service corridors Not reported
5. Biological resource use 5.6. Conduct regular anti-poaching patrols Ongoing (2021)
5.9. Regularly de-activate/remove ground snares Ongoing (2021)
6. Human intrusion & disturbance Not reported
7. Natural system modifications Not reported
8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases Not reported
9. Pollution Not reported
10. Education & Awareness 10.1. Educate local communities about primates and sustainable use Ongoing (2021)
10.2. Involve local community in primate research and conservation management Ongoing (2021)
10.5. Implement multimedia campaigns using theatre, film, print media, discussions Ongoing (2021)
11. Habitat Protection 11.2. Legally protect primate habitat Ongoing (2024)
12. Species Management Not reported
13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives Not reported

Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)

Challenges

Table 5. Challenges reported for Banco National Park

Challenge Source
Lack of logistical means OIPR n.d.
Lack of national protection OIPR n.d.
Strong urban pressure OIPR n.d.

Research activities

Documented behaviours

Table 6. Ape behaviors reported for Banco National Park

Behavior Source
Not reported

Exposure to climate change impacts

As part of a study on the exposure of African great ape sites to climate change impacts, Kiribou et al. (2024) extracted climate data and data on projected extreme climate impact events for the site. Climatological characteristics were derived from observation-based climate data provided by the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISIMIP, www.isimip.org). Parameters were calculated as the average across each 30-year period. For 1981-2010, the EWEMBI dataset from ISIMIP2a was used. For the two future periods (2021-2050 and 2071-2099) ISIMIP2b climate data based on four CMIP5 global climate models were used. For future projections, two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) were used. RCP 2.6 is a scenario with strong mitigation measures in which global temperatures would likely rise below 2°C. RCP 6.0 is a scenario with medium emissions in which global temperatures would likely rise up to 3°C by 2100. For the number of days with heavy precipitation events, the 98th percentile of all precipitation days (>1mm/d) was calculated for the 1979-2013 reference period as a threshold for a heavy precipitation event. Then, for each year, the number of days above that threshold was derived. The figures on temperature and precipitation anomaly show the deviation from the mean temperature and mean precipitation for the 1979-2013 reference period. The estimated exposure to future extreme climate impact events (crop failure, drought, river flood, wildfire, tropical cyclone, and heatwave) is based on a published dataset by Lange et al. 2020 derived from ISIMIP2b data. The same global climate models and RCPs as described above were used. Within each 30-year period, the number of years with an extreme event and the average proportion of the site affected were calculated (Kiribou et al. 2024).

Table 7. Estimated past and projected climatological characteristics in Banco National Park

1981-2010 2021-2050, RCP 2.6 2021-2050, RCP 6.0 2071-2099, RCP 2.6 2071-2099, RCP 6.0
Mean temperature [°C] 27 28 27.9 28.1 29.1
Annual precipitation [mm] 1821 1714 1802 1745 1830
Max no. consecutive dry days (per year) 28.9 24.5 26 25.3 30.2
No. days with heavy precipitation (per year) 7 6.2 5.5 5.6 7.6


Table 8. Projected exposure of apes to extreme climate impact events in Banco National Park

No. of years with event (2021-2050, RCP 2.6) % of site exposed (2021-2050, RCP 2.6) No. of years with event (2021-2050, RCP 6.0) % of site exposed (2021-2050, RCP 6.0) No. of years with event (2070-2099, RCP 2.6) % of site exposed (2070-2099, RCP 2.6) No. of years with event (2070-2099, RCP 6.0) % of site exposed (2070-2099, RCP 6.0)
Crop failure 1.5 0.14 0.5 0.2 0.5 0 1 0.72
Drought 0.25 25 0 0 0 0 0 0
Heatwave 14.5 100 15.5 100 20 100 17 100
River flood 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25 0
Tropical cyclone 0.5 0.44 0 0 0 0 0 0
Wildfire 30 0.43 30 0.4 29 0.43 29 0.4
  • Precipitation anomaly in Banco National Park
  • Temperature anomaly in Banco National Park

References

Akaffou, S.V.E, Abrou, N.E.J&M.S. Tiébré (2020). Current and future distribution of Chromolaena odorata(L.) R.M. King & H. Roxb (Compositae) and Hopea odorata Roxb (Dipterocarpaceae) in the Banco national park. IOSR Journal Of Pharmacy And Biological Sciences (IOSR-JPBS) e-ISSN:2278-3008, p-ISSN:2319-7676. Volume 15, Issue 2 Ser. III (Mar –Apr 2020), PP 06-14
Bitty, EA, Kadjo B., Gonedele Bi, S. Okon, M.O.and Kouassi, K.P. et al. (2013) Inventaire de la faune mammalogique d’une forêt urbaine, le Parc National du Banco, Côte d’Ivoire. Int. J. Biol. Chem. Sci. 7(4): 1678-1687
Kouadio, K. I., & Singh, R. Urban Forest BNP in Abidjan.International Journal for Research in Applied Science & Engineering Technology (IJRASET). https://www.ijraset.com/fileserve.php?FID=32326
Kiribou, R., Tehoda, P., Chukwu, O., Bempah, G., Kühl, H. S., Ferreira, J., ... & Heinicke, S. (2024). Exposure of African ape sites to climate change impacts. PLOS Climate, 3(2), e0000345.
OIPR (2021). https://www.oipr.ci/index.php/parcs-reserves/parcs-nationaux/parc-national-du-banco (Accessed, 19.01.2021)


Page completed by: Tene Sop Date: 18/10/2021