Dodo Coastal Forest
West Africa > Côte d'Ivoire > Dodo Coastal Forest
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Summary
- Western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) are present in Dodo Coastal Forest.
- The population size is unknown.
- The chimpanzee population trend is unknown.
Site characteristics
The Dodo Coastal Forest (DCF), situated at the mouth of the Dodo River in southwestern Côte d'Ivoire, provides critical habitat for the globally and locally endangered pygmy hippopotamus, a species experiencing a steep population decline. The forest also supports two species of African pangolins. As one of the few remaining coastal community forests in the region, the DCF lacks formal protection but boasts a rich mosaic of habitats, including rainforests, mangroves, savannas, and coastal thickets, which support diverse wildlife. The nearby village, located 18 km from Grand-Béréby, is inhabited by the indigenous Kroumen people and migrant communities who depend on subsistence farming, hunting, and artisanal fishing. While certain trees are preserved for cultural practices, hunting is allowed. Despite its ecological richness, the DCF faces increasing threats from human activities, particularly land-use changes, putting its biodiversity at risk.
Table 1. Basic site information for Dodo Coastal Forest
| Species | 'Pan troglodytes verus |
| Area | 46.94 km² |
| Coordinates | Lat: 4.544618 , Lon: -7.113949 |
| Type of site | Proposed protected area |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/tropical swamp forest, Wetlands (lakes, rivers, streams, bogs, marshes) |
| Type of governance |
IUCN habitat categories Site designations
Ape status
Table 2. Ape population estimates reported for Dodo Coastal Forest
| Species | Year | Occurrence | Encounter or vistation rate (nests/km; ind/day) | Density estimate [ind./ km²] (95% CI) | Abundance estimate (95% CI) | Survey area | Sampling method | Analytical framework | Source | Comments | A.P.E.S. database ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 'Pan troglodytes verus | 2019 | Present | 0.5 | Dodo Coastal Forest (46.94 km²) | Reconnaissance walk | Distance sampling | Soiret et al. 2019 |
Threats
Table 3. Threats to apes reported for Dodo Coastal Forest
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Biological resource use | 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | High (more than 70% of population affected) | Hunting for commercial purposes is common in villages surrounding the Dodo Coastal Forest (DCF). However, within the DCF itself, villagers primarily hunt mammals for local subsistence, and the commercial bushmeat trade has minimal influence on the local economy. Despite this, there is a notable presence of hunting activity in the forest, with signs of hunting most frequently observed in gallery forests. Poaching appears to be the greatest threat to all primate species in the area. Interestingly, the high encounter rate of chimpanzees in the DCF may be linked to a longstanding local taboo against hunting them, which has played a key role in maintaining a stable population of these apes (Soiret et al. 2019) | Ongoing (2018) |
| 2 Agriculture & aquaculture | 2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Present (unknown severity) | The coastal forest has experienced unprecedented changes in land use over the past decade (CILSS 2016). Once intact, dense rainforests have been cleared and fragmented to make way for farms and plantations growing oil palm, rubber, cocoa, coffee, and coconut, as well as for charcoal production (Soiret et al. 2019). | Ongoing(2018) |
| 5 Biological resource use | 5.2 Gathering terrestrial plants | Present (unknown severity) | Ongoing (2018) |
Conservation activities
Table 4. Conservation activities reported for Dodo Coastal Forest
| Category | Specific activity | Description | Implementing organization(s) | Year of activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Counter-wildlife crime | 2.3 Conduct regular anti-poaching patrols | The NGO CEM works with Eco-guards (community members) who receive allowances for patrols, data collection, and the installation of cameras in the voluntary reserve, as well as for the protection of turtles and their eggs on the beach. | NGO Conservation des Espèces Marines (CEM) | Ongoing (2022) |
| 4 Education & awareness | 4.1 Educate local communities about apes and sustainable use | The NGO CEM carries out awareness-raising activities for the protection of the voluntary nature reserve, which is home to rich wildlife, and advocates for the creation of a marine protected area to conserve sea turtles. | NGO Conservation des Espèces Marines (CEM) | Ongoing (2022) |
Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)
Challenges
Table 5. Challenges reported for Dodo Coastal Forest
| Challenges | Specific challenges | Source | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Institutional support | 4.3 Lack of protected area status | Soiret et al. 2019 | Ongoing (2018) |
| 4 Institutional support | 4.1 Lack of law enforcement | Soiret et al. 2019 | Ongoing (2018) |
| Other (lack of conservation education) | Soiret et al. 2019 | Ongoing (2018) | |
| 2 Resources and capacity | 2.3 General lack of funding | NGO CEM | Ongoing (2022) |
| 2 Resources and capacity | 2.1 Lack of capacity/training |
Enablers
Table 6. Enablers reported for Dodo Coastal Forest
| Enablers | Specific enablers | Source | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Engaged community | 3.2 Local taboos in favor of conservation | Soiret et al. 2019 | Ongoing (2018) |
| 5 Ecological context | 5.1 Ecological characteristics (e.g. terrain) conducive to conservation | Soiret et al. 2019 | Ongoing (2018) |
Research activities
The studies conducted at this site have confirmed the presence of exceptional wildlife and flora (Soiret et al., 2019), as well as sea turtles. Trained Eco-guards who monitor the fauna continue surveillance activities at the site. Their permanent presence serves as a deterrent to poaching activities and provides researchers with assistants to carry out their research. It should be noted that, at present, there are no ongoing research activities in the area. The only study conducted in the area was by Soiret et al. (2019). The NGO CEM focuses on conservation activities.
Documented behaviours
Table 7. Behaviours documented for Dodo Coastal Forest
| Behavior | Source |
|---|---|
| Building nests in trees | Soiret et al. 2019 |
Exposure to climate change impacts
External links
Relevant datasets
References
Bamba, S. (2002). Identification et étude de la reproduction, de la distribution géographique et des facteurs de menace des tortues marines migrant sur le littoral ivoirien : cas de département de Grand Béréby. Thèse de Doctorat. Département de Biologie Animale, Université de Cocody-Abidjan, 150pp.
CILSS (2016). Landscapes of West Africa - A indow on a Changing World. U.S. Geological Survey EROS.
Peñate, J.G., M. Karamoko, S. Bamba & Djadji G. (2007). An update on marine turtles in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa. Marine Turtle Newsleter, 116,7-8.
Kouadio Y. J., Soiret K. S. P. , Kpan W. B., Yao N. O., N’guessan K. E., Kouassi K. P. & Gomez P. J. (2018). Valeur de conservation de la Réserve Naturelle Volontaire (RNV) de la Dodo, Sud-Ouest de la Côte d’Ivoire (Afrique de l’Ouest). International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences,12(6), 2784- 2796. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ijbcs.v12i6.24
Bohoussou K. H., Akpatou K. B., Kouassi Y. W. R. & Kpangui K. B. (2018). Diversité des Mammifères et valeur pour la conservation des reliques forestières au sein d’une concession agro-industrielle au sud-ouest de la Côte d’Ivoire ». VertigO, 18(1). http://journals.openedition.org/vertigo/19947
Soiret, S.P.K., Kouakou C.Y., Koffi B.J-C., Kadjo B., Kouassi P., Gomez P.J., Matsuda Goodwin R., & Kone I. (2019). The diversity and conservation of mammals in the Dodo Coastal Forest in southwestern Côte d’Ivoire, western Africa: a preliminary study. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 11(6),13654–13666. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.4641.11.6.13654-13666
Page created by: Zausa Diorne Date: 2024-11-23 09:50:00