Bia Conservation Area

West Africa > Ghana > Bia Conservation Area

Summary

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• Western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) are present in the Bia Conservation Area.
• The population size is estimated at 34 weaned individuals.
• The chimpanzee population trend is decreasing.
• The site has a total size of 306 km².
• Illegal hunting is the main threat.
• Conservation activities have focused on anti-poaching patrols.

Site characteristics

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 (Taylor, 1960; Hall and Swaine, 1981) between 6º 20’– 6º 40’N and 3º 00’– 3º 10’W, sandwiched between the Bia River and the border with Côte d’Ivoire (Figure 1). Rainfall is bimodal, peaking in June and October, with an annual rainfall of between 1500–1750 mm (Hall and Swaine, 1981). Average monthly temperature in the area is 24–28 ºC, with extremes from 18–34 ºC. The farming system is rain-fed, with farming activities undertaken throughout the year. 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).

Table 1. Basic site information for Bia Conservation Area

Area	306 km²
Coordinates	6.481132, -3.112847
Designation	Conservation Area
Habitat types	Subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest

IUCN habitat categories Site designations

Ape status

Wildlife patrol team encounters with chimpanzee signs indicate a decreasing trend (Danquah, E., pers. comm. 2022).

Table 2. Ape population estimates in Bia Conservation Area

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	2019-2020	34			Bia Conservation Area	Line transects (Distance)	Ofori-Amanfo, R. pers comm. 2023	Estimate for weaned individuals

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.

Table 3. Threats to apes in Bia Conservation Area

Category	Specific threats	Threat level	Quantified severity	Description	Year of threat
1. Residential & commercial development		Unknown
2. Agriculture & aquaculture		Unknown
3. Energy production & mining		Unknown
4. Transportation & service corridors		Unknown
5. Biological resource use	5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals	Medium	5.69 human signs/km	Cartridge cases and wire snares (Danquah, E. pers. comm. 2022).	Ongoing (2022)
6. Human intrusion & disturbance		Unknown
7. Natural system modifications		Unknown
8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases		Unknown
9. Pollution		Unknown
10. Geological Events		Absent
11. Climate change & severe weather		Unknown
12. Other options		Absent

IUCN Threats list

Conservation activities

Bia Conservation Area is a protected area so there are dedicated staff who patrol inside the Park to protect the resources including the chimpanzees. There is also a community outreach team that goes to the communities to educate them about the need to conserve natural resources including the chimpanzees. Ghana's Wildlife Division is responsible for maintaining law and order within the protected area.

Table 4. Conservation activities in Bia Conservation Area

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	Wildlife patrol teams regularly conduct law enforcement duties within and around the protected area (Danquah, E., 2022).	Ongoing (2022)
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	Community outreach team that goes to the communities to educate them about the need to conserve natural resources including the chimpanzees.	Ongoing (2023)
11. Habitat Protection	Not reported
12. Species Management	Not reported
13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives	Not reported

Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)

Challenges

The Ghana Wildlife Division has few staff and resources to conduct effective and regular anti-poaching activities within and around the protected area. Inadequate staff, field equipment, vehicles etc. hinder effective protection of the chimpanzees.

Table 5. Challenges reported for Bia Conservation Area

Challenge	Source
Lack of logistical means	Danquah, E. pers. observation 2022

Research activities

Bia Conservation Area is part of the Pan African Programme: The Cultured Chimpanzee (PanAf).

Documented behaviours

Table 6. Ape behaviors reported for Bia Conservation Area

Behavior	Source
Not reported

References

Page completed by: Emmanuel Danquah & Richard Ofori-Amanfo Date: 15/02/2023