The Ghana Wildlife Society is a conservationist NGO seeking to support Ghana's diverse wildlife to help provide both a "better environment" and an "improved quality of life for all people." It is BirdLife International's partner in Ghana. The society was formed in the early 1970s but suffered from a hiatus in its activities. It was restarted in 1991 through a "Save the Seashore Birds Project - Ghana (SSPC-G)". This project ended in June 1994 and the Society took over the work of that project.
The Society is involved with many conservation projects including: the Important Bird Areas Project-Ghana, the Amanzuri Community Integrated Project, the Mount Afadjato Community Forest Conservation Project, the Wetlands and Waterbird Conservation Project, the Conservation Awareness Programme in schools and communities, and the Marine Turtle Conservation Programme. The projects are supported by a range of overseas donors including: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the UNDP and the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Ghana. [1] [2] [3]
Wildlife in Ghana is diverse and abundant, with a wide variety of mammals, reptiles, insects and marine species found in a wide range of habitats across the country. Unfortunately, there is no ‘one-stop-shop’ for wildlife viewing in Ghana, and many of the best wildlife viewing locations require long drives. Whilst there are a variety of animals living in different parts of Ghana, the following maps indicate where you are most likely to find them.
Elephant
Mole national park is Ghana’s biggest, oldest and finest game viewing park, and it’s only a 2-day drive away from Accra. While elephants can be found in many remote parts of Ghana, you can only expect to see them in the national park of Mole. The elephants in the vicinity of the Mole Lodge are used to humans, so you can have a very close encounter on foot, which is very rare in Africa. Antelope, bushbuck, monkey, warthog, baboon, and other small games are also present, depending on the season. The best time to visit is between mid-December and mid-April, as the lack of water brings the animals closer to known water sources. [4]
Monkey Sanctuaries
Boabang-Fiema is home to a large population of Mona monkeys that have been habituated, as well as Black and White colobus monkeys that have been less habituated. The Mona monkeys are highly respected by the local community, so they are not hunted or killed. They have a cemetery where the Mona monkeys are buried in a special way. If you're looking for a place to see Mona or Patas monkeys, Tafi Atome is the place to go. It's part of the traditional conservation area of the Volta region, and the monkeys are pretty well-known. They're considered gods by many people, and they're protected by tradition. [4]
Birding in Ghana
Tafi Atome is a conservation area in the traditional territory of the Volta Region. It is home to the Mona monkey and Patas monkey. Mona monkeys are very habituated because they are considered gods and are preserved by tradition.
The San Diego Zoo is a zoo in San Diego, California, housing over 12,000 animals of more than 680 species and subspecies on 100 acres (40 ha) of Balboa Park. The zoo is the most visited in the United States. Travelers have cited it as one of the best zoos in the world. The zoo was a pioneer in the concept of open-air, cage-less exhibits that recreate natural animal habitats. It sits on land leased from the City of San Diego.
The Houston Zoo is a 55-acre (22 ha) zoological park located within Hermann Park in Houston, Texas, United States. The zoo houses over 6,000 animals from more than 900 species. It receives around 2 million visitors each year and is the second most visited zoo in the United States, surpassed only by the San Diego Zoo. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
The Oakland Zoo is a zoo located in the Grass Valley neighborhood of Oakland, California, United States. Established on June 6, 1922, it is managed by the Conservation Society of California, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of wildlife both locally and globally. The zoo is home to more than 850 native and exotic animals and is a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
Kakum National Park, located in the coastal environs of the Central Region of Ghana, covers an area of 375 square kilometres (145 sq mi). Established in 1931 as a reserve, it was gazetted as a national park only in 1992 after an initial survey of avifauna was conducted. The area is covered with tropical forest. The uniqueness of this park lies in the fact that it was established at the initiative of the local people and not by the State Department of wildlife who are responsible for wildlife preservation in Ghana. It is one of only 3 locations in Africa with a canopy walkway, which is 350 metres (1,150 ft) long and connects seven tree tops which provides access to the forest.
The Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park is an AZA zoo in Syracuse, New York. It is owned and operated by Onondaga County Parks with support from the Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. The zoo is home to more than 900 animals representing 216 species on 43 acres (17 ha). Some of the more popular animals include Asian elephants, Humboldt penguins, Amur tigers, a Komodo dragon and the only Giant Pacific octopus exhibit in Central New York. The zoo opened a new Animal Health Center in 2022 that is the largest zoological medical center in New York state outside of the Bronx Zoo.
The wildlife of Cambodia is very diverse with at least 162 mammal species, 600 bird species, 176 reptile species, 900 freshwater fish species, 670 invertebrate species, and more than 3000 plant species. A single protected area, Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary, is known to support more than 950 total species, including 75 species that are listed as globally threatened on the IUCN Red List. An unknown amount of species remains to be described by science, especially the insect group of butterflies and moths, collectively known as lepidopterans.
Burkina Faso is largely wild bush country with a mixture of grass and small trees in varying proportions. The savanna region is mainly grassland in the rainy season and semi desert during the harmattan period. Fauna, one of the most diverse in West Africa, includes the elephant, hippopotamus, buffalo, monkey, lions, crocodile, giraffe, various types of antelope, and a vast variety of bird and insect life. The country has 147 mammal species, 330 aquatic species including 121 species of fish and 2067 different plant species. Of the plant species, the dominant endemic species are shea tree and the baobab, the former plant species has immense economic value to the country.
The wildlife of Cameroon is composed of its flora and fauna. Bordering Nigeria, it is considered one of the wettest parts of Africa and records Africa's second highest concentration of biodiversity. To preserve its wildlife, Cameroon has more than 20 protected reserves comprising national parks, zoos, forest reserves and sanctuaries. The protected areas were first created in the northern region under the colonial administration in 1932; the first two reserves established were Mozogo Gokoro Reserve and the Bénoué Reserve, which was followed by the Waza Reserve on 24 March 1934. The coverage of reserves was initially about 4 percent of the country's area, rising to 12 percent; the administration proposes to cover 30 percent of the land area.
The wildlife of Zimbabwe occurs foremost in remote or rugged terrain, in national parks and private wildlife ranches, in miombo woodlands and thorny acacia or kopje. The prominent wild fauna includes African buffalo, African bush elephant, black rhinoceros, southern giraffe, African leopard, lion, plains zebra, and several antelope species.
Benin has varied resources of wildlife comprising flora and fauna, which are primarily protected in its two contiguous protected areas of the Pendjari National Park and W National Park. The former is known for many species of avifauna and the latter park is rich in mammals and predators. In addition, many other forest reserves are noted in the country but are not easily accessible, well protected or adequately surveyed for its wildlife resources. The protected area of Benin which is defined as a National Protected Area System is in northern Benin, mostly with a woody savanna ecosystem. It covers 10.3% of the nation and is part of the three-nation W-Arly-Pendjari Complex (WAP).
The wildlife of the Democratic Republic of the Congo includes its flora and fauna, comprising a large biodiversity in rainforests, seasonally flooded forests and grasslands.
The wildlife of Ghana is composed of its biodiversity of flora and fauna.
The wildlife of Uganda is composed of its flora and fauna. Uganda has a wide variety of different habitats, including mountains, hills, tropical rainforest, woodland, freshwater lakes, swamps and savanna with scattered clumps of trees. The country has a biodiverse flora and fauna reflecting this range of habitats and is known for its primates, including gorillas and chimpanzees. There are ten national parks and thirteen wildlife reserves; some 345 species of mammal and 1020 species of bird have been recorded in the country.
The wildlife of Togo is composed of the flora and fauna of Togo, a country in West Africa. Despite its small size the country has a diversity of habitats; there are only remnants of the once more extensive rain forests in the south, there is Sudanian savanna in the north-western part of the country and larger areas of Guinean forest–savanna mosaic in the centre and north-east. The climate is tropical with distinct wet and dry seasons. There are estimated to be over 3000 species of vascular plants in the country, and 196 species of mammals and 676 species of birds have been recorded there.
Mole National Park, one of Ghana's seven national parks, is the country's largest wildlife refuge. The park is located in the Savannah region of Ghana on savanna and riparian ecosystems at an elevation of 50 m, with a sharp escarpment forming the southern boundary of the park. The park's entrance is reached through the nearby town of Larabanga. It covers an area of about 4,577 square kilometers of fairly undisturbed Guinea savannah in the northern part of Ghana. The Levi and Mole Rivers are ephemeral rivers flowing through the park, leaving behind only drinking holes during the long dry season. This area of Ghana receives over 10 mm per year of rainfall. A long-term study has been done on Mole National Park to understand the impact of human hunters on the animals in the preserve.
Tanzania contains some 20 percent of the species of Africa's large mammal population, found across its reserves, conservation areas, marine parks, and 17 national parks, spread over an area of more than 42,000 square kilometres (16,000 sq mi) and forming approximately 38 percent of the country's territory. Wildlife resources of Tanzania are described as "without parallel in Africa" and "the prime game viewing country". Serengeti National Park, the country's second largest national park area at 14,763 square kilometres (5,700 sq mi), is located in northern Tanzania and is famous for its extensive migratory herds of wildebeests and zebra while also having the reputation as one of the great natural wonders of the world. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area, established in 1959, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and inhabited by the Maasai people. Its Ngorongoro Crater is the largest intact caldera in the world.
The Central Zoo is a 6-hectare (15-acre) zoo in Jawalakhel, Nepal. It is home to some 969 animals in 109 species, and is operated by the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC). Although it was originally a private zoo, it was opened to the public in 1956.
Tourism in Ghana is regulated by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture. This ministry is responsible for the development and promotion of tourism related activities in Ghana.
Ve Golokwati is a small town and is the capital of Afadzato South district, a district in central Volta Region of Ghana.
Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary is a traditional sacred grove conservation established in 1993 under the direction of a Peace Corps volunteer as a community-based ecotourism project. Tafi Atome is the home of mona and patas monkeys.