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[[West Africa]] > [[Ghana]] > [[Bia Conservation Area]]

[[West Africa]] > [[Ghana]] > [[Bia Conservation Area]]

= Summary = <!-- An overview of the site, with one sentence for each section. May include a site map -->

= Summary = <!-- An overview of the site, with one sentence for each section. May include a site map -->

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= Site characteristics = <!-- A paragraph summary of physical and geographic aspects of the site, and a table of key information -->

= Site characteristics = <!-- A paragraph summary of physical and geographic aspects of the site, and a table of key information -->

[[File: chimpanzee_OforiAmanfo.jpg | 400px | thumb| right | Chimpanzee captured on a camera trap © Richard Ofori-Amanfo]]

[[File: chimpanzee_OforiAmanfo.jpg | 400px | thumb| right | Chimpanzee captured on a camera trap © Richard Ofori-Amanfo]]

The Bia Conservation Area (BCA) forms a 306km2 block in the moist evergreen and moist semi-deciduous forest zones of western Ghana, between the Bia River and the border with Côte d’Ivoire. Bia National Park and Bia Resource Reserve are twin Protected Areas known as Bia Conservation Area. Bia Conservation Area covers a total area of 306 km2. Bia National Park is 78 km2 and Bia Resource Reserve is 228 km2. The BCA was originally part of a larger (about 1500km2) ecosystem for forest elephants known as the Bia Group of Forest Reserves. However, the Bia elephant range has reduced over time due to clearance for cocoa cultivation, and is now an isolated population in an ecological island of forest with hard boundaries and no transitional zone to farmland (PADP 2001).

The Bia Conservation Area (BCA) forms a 306km2 block in the moist evergreen and moist semi-deciduous forest zones of western Ghana, between the Bia River and the border with Côte d’Ivoire. BCA encompasses Bia National Park and Bia Resource Reserve; Bia National Park is 78 km2 and Bia Resource Reserve is 228 km2. The BCA was originally part of a larger (about 1500km2) ecosystem for forest elephants known as the Bia Group of Forest Reserves. However, the Bia elephant range has reduced over time due to clearance for cocoa cultivation, and is now an isolated population in an ecological island of forest with hard boundaries and no transitional zone to farmland (PADP 2001). It is planned for the entire area to be upgraded to national park status (Quansah P. K., pers. comm. 2023).

'''Table 1. Basic site information for Bia Conservation Area'''

'''Table 1. Basic site information for Bia Conservation Area'''

= Threats =    <!-- a text overview of threats, followed by a table of key threats -->

= Threats =    <!-- a text overview of threats, followed by a table of key threats -->

A total of 3,721 illegal human signs which are threats to the subspecies were recorded in 2021 and provided an overall encounter rate of 5.69 human signs per a kilometre walk. Three major threats among these were cartridge case (45.9%), wire snare (29.4%) and illegal logging (14.2%) (Danquah, E., pers. comm. 2022). Poachers still poach in the park, and set snares that also affect chimpanzees. The chimpanzees also raid crops, resulting in conflicts between them and farmers.

A total of 3,721 illegal human signs which are threats to the subspecies were recorded in 2021 and provided an overall encounter rate of 5.69 human signs per a kilometre walk. Three major threats among these were cartridge case (45.9%), wire snare (29.4%) and illegal logging (14.2%) (Danquah, E., pers. comm. 2022). Poachers still poach in the park, and set snares that also affect chimpanzees. Although poaching is not very frequent, it is a main threat because of the site’s low chimpanzee population abundance The chimpanzees also raid crops, resulting in conflicts between them and farmers; crop raiding by elephants is much higher (Quansah P. K., pers. comm. 2023).  

'''Table 3. Threats to apes in Bia Conservation Area'''

'''Table 3. Threats to apes in Bia Conservation Area'''

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|2. Agriculture & aquaculture

|2. Agriculture & aquaculture

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|Unknown

|Habitat encroachment due to agriculture (Quansah P. K., pers. comm. 2023).

|Ongoing (2023)

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|3. Energy production & mining

|3. Energy production & mining

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|7. Natural system modifications

|7. Natural system modifications

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|Unknown

|Fires mostly related to the capture of tree hyrax (Quansah P. K., pers. comm. 2023).

|Ongoing (2023)

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|8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases

|8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases

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|Other

|Other

|Enrichment planting has been carried out with some different kinds of indigenous tree species in some degraded portions of the Resource Reserve. The entire Bia Conservation Area boundary has been planted with indigenous tree species to prevent encroachment into the Park (Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023).

|Enrichment planting has been carried out with some different kinds of indigenous tree species in some degraded portions of the Resource Reserve. The entire Bia Conservation Area boundary has been planted with indigenous tree species to prevent encroachment into the Park (Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023, Quansah P. K., pers. comm. 2023).

|Ongoing (2023)

|2018-2022

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|12. Species Management

|12. Species Management

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|13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives  

|13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives  

|Not reported

|13.2. Provide non-monetary benefits to local communities for sustainably managing their forest and its wildlife (e.g. better education, infrastructure development)

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|Tropenbus, UNESCO, and SNV support income generating activities such as beekeeping and honey processing, palm oil processing, soap production, snail farming, and mushroom cultivation (Quansah P. K., pers. comm. 2023).

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|Ongoing (2023)

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|Lack of logistical means

|Lack of logistical means

|Danquah, E. pers. observation 2022

|Danquah, E. pers. observation 2022

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'''Page completed by: '''Emmanuel Danquah & Richard Ofori-Amanfo''' Date:''' 09/11/2023 <!-- If you don't want to add your name, you can add "A.P.E.S. Wiki team" -->

'''Page completed by: '''Emmanuel Danquah, Richard Ofori-Amanfo & Papa Kwaw Quansah''' Date:''' 26/10/2023 <!-- If you don't want to add your name, you can add "A.P.E.S. Wiki team" -->