Wildlife of Ivory Coast

Last updated

African buffalo Syncerus caffer nanus 001.JPG
African buffalo
African jacana African jacana actophilornis africanus.jpg
African jacana

The wildlife of Ivory Coast consists of the flora and fauna of this nation in West Africa. The country has a long Atlantic coastline on the Gulf of Guinea and a range of habitat types. Once covered in tropical rainforest, much of this habitat has been cleared, the remaining terrain being gallery forests and savanna with scattered groups of trees, resulting in a decrease in biodiversity. As of 2016, 252 species of mammal had been recorded in Ivory Coast, 666 species of bird, 153 species of reptile, 80 species of amphibian, 671 species of fish and 3660 species of vascular plant.

Contents

Geography

Topography of Ivory Coast, before the creation of Lake Buyo Ivory Coast Topography.png
Topography of Ivory Coast, before the creation of Lake Buyo

Ivory Coast is a country in western sub-Saharan Africa just north of the equator, bordered by Liberia and Guinea to the west, Mali and Burkina Faso to the north and Ghana to the east. To the south lies the Gulf of Guinea with a 515 km (320 mi) coastline where there is a network of lagoons. The land rises from south to north, the terrain being mostly flat to undulating plain, with mountains in the west and northwest. The highest point is Mount Richard-Molard on the border with Guinea, reaching 1,752 metres (5,748 ft). The main rivers flow from north to south. A dam on the Bandama River, the longest waterway in the country, has created the artificial Lake Kossou, while another on the Sassandra River has created the rather smaller Lake Buyo. [1]

The forests on mountains in the west of the country near the border with Guinea and Liberia, are classified as Guinean montane forests. The Guinean forest-savanna mosaic belt extends across the middle of the country from east to west, and is the transition zone between the coastal forests and the interior savannas. The forest-savanna mosaic interlaces forest, savanna and grassland habitats. Northern Ivory Coast is part of the Sudanian Savanna ecoregion of the Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome. It is a zone of lateritic or sandy soils, with vegetation decreasing from south to north. [2] Temperatures average between 25 and 30 °C (77 and 86 °F). The main rainy season is between May and September, with the remaining part of the year being dry in the north of the country, as the Harmattan wind blows. In the south the rainfall is higher (2,000 mm (80 in) annually and twice as much as the north) and some rain falls in most months. [3]

Flora

Rainforest with emergent trees in Tai National Park Tai National Park (24148248710).jpg
Rainforest with emergent trees in Taï National Park

As of 2016, 3660 species of vascular plant had been recorded in Ivory Coast. [4] The Ébrié Lagoon is dominated by mangroves and herbaceous vegetation including both rooted and floating aquatic plants. Further inland are extensive swamps with larger herbaceous plants and small trees. [5]

In the southwest of the country, the Taï National Park protects the largest area of forest remaining in the Upper Guinean rainforest belt of West Africa. The vegetation is predominantly dense evergreen ombrophilous forest with emergent trees up to 60 m (200 ft) tall, with massive trunks and large buttresses or stilt roots. This mature tropical forest includes some 1,300 species of higher plants and has been designated as a World Heritage Site and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. [6] Another area that has been protected is the Comoé National Park, near the border with Burkina Faso. This has a variety of habitats, including gallery forests, woodland, open savannas and wetland. [7]

Fauna

As of 2016, some 252 species of mammal had been recorded in Ivory Coast, 666 species of bird, 153 species of reptile, 80 species of amphibian and 671 species of fish. [4] In the shallow parts of the Ébrié Lagoon there are a range of invertebrates including polychaete worms, nemertean worms, oligochaetes, isopods, amphipods and prawns. Over a hundred species of fish have been recorded here, and the lagoon and surrounding swamps are home to the pygmy hippopotamus, the West African crocodile, the West African slender-snouted crocodile, the dwarf crocodile and the African manatee. [5]

Population growth and civil wars, together with deforestation, the increase area of plantations, hunting for bushmeat and other factors have led to a reduction in diversity among the animals in Ivory Coast, [8] such that many are now restricted to protected areas. Among the 135 species of mammal recorded in Comoé National Park are 11 species of primates including the olive baboon, green monkey, lesser spot-nosed monkey, Mona monkey, black and white colobus, olive colobus, white collared mangabey and western chimpanzee. A total of 17 carnivore species have been observed here, but cheetahs, African wild dogs and lions no longer seem to be present. There are also 21 species of artiodactyl present including hippopotamus, bushpig, bongo, warthog, buffalo, kob, red-flanked duiker, bushbuck, waterbuck, roan antelope and oribi. [9] Mammals recorded in the Taï National Park include the pygmy hippopotamus and 11 species of monkey, [10] as well as African forest elephants, buffaloes, pangolins, bushbuck, leopards, chimpanzees and zebras. [11] Reptiles include crocodiles, lizards and chameleons, as well as snakes such as horned vipers, mambas, and pythons.

Among the 670 species of bird that have been recorded in the country are 10 species of seabird and 119 species of water bird, with the remaining birds being terrestrial. There are no species endemic to the country, but it is visited by 197 species of migratory bird. [12] Some notable birds include 6 species of vulture, raptors, owls, 8 species of stork, African jacana, Ibises, herons, plovers, parrots, 11 species of hornbill, pigeons, and many smaller passerines. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Ivory Coast</span>

Ivory Coast is a sub-Saharan nation in southern West Africa located at 8° N, 5° W. The country is approximately square in shape.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand-Bassam</span> Place in Comoé, Ivory Coast

Grand-Bassam is a town in southeastern Ivory Coast, lying east of Abidjan. It is a sub-prefecture of and the seat of Grand-Bassam Department; it is also a commune. During the late 19th century, Grand-Bassam was briefly the French colonial capital of Ivory Coast. Because of its outstanding examples of colonial architecture and town-planning, and the juxtaposition of the colonial town with a traditional Nzema village, the historic center of Grand-Bassam was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taï National Park</span> National park in Ivory Coast

Taï National Park is a national park in Côte d'Ivoire that contains one of the last areas of primary rainforest in West Africa. It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1982 due to the diversity of its flora and fauna. Five mammal species of the Taï National Park are on the Red List of Threatened Species: pygmy hippopotamus, olive colobus monkeys, leopards, chimpanzees, and Jentink's duiker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ébrié Lagoon</span>

The Ébrié Lagoon lies in Ivory Coast, separated for almost all of its length from the Atlantic Ocean by a narrow coastal strip. The 130 km (80 mi) long lagoon is linked to the sea by the Vridi Canal, while the Comoë River flows into it. The lagoon averages 4 km in width, and 5 m (16 ft) in depth. Abidjan and towns such as Grand Bassam, Bingerville, Jacqueville, Attécoubé, and Tiagba lie on the lagoon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comoé National Park</span>

The Comoé National Park is a Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Zanzan and Savanes districts of northeastern Côte d'Ivoire. It is the largest protected area in West Africa, with an area of 11,500 square kilometers (4,400 sq mi), and ranges from the humid Guinea savanna to the dry Sudanian zone. This steep climatic north–south gradient allows the park to harbor a multitude of habitats with a remarkable diversity of life. Some animal and plant species even find their last sanctuary in some of the different savanna types, gallery forests, riparian grasslands, rock outcrops, or forest islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve</span> Protected area in Guinea and Côte dIvoire

Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve is a protected area and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in both Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire, extending over a total of area of 175.4 km2, with 125.4 km2 in Guinea, and 50 km2 in Côte d'Ivoire. The reserve covers significant portions of the Nimba Range, a geographically unique area with unusually rich flora and fauna, including exceptional numbers of single-site endemic species, such as Nimbaphrynoides, the Nimba otter shrew, and multiple species of horseshoe bats. Its highest peak is Mount Richard-Molard at 1,752 m (5,750 ft), which is the highest peak of both countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upper Guinean forests</span> Tropical moist forest region of West Africa

The Upper Guinean forests is a tropical seasonal forest region of West Africa. The Upper Guinean forests extend from Guinea and Sierra Leone in the west through Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana to Togo in the east, and a few hundred kilometers inland from the Atlantic coast. A few enclaves of montane forest lie further inland in the mountains of central Guinea and central Togo and Benin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guinean forest–savanna mosaic</span> Tropical forest, savanna, and grassland ecoregion in West Africa

The Guinean forest-savanna , also known as the Guinean forest-savanna transition, is a distinctive ecological region located in West Africa. It stretches across several countries including Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, and Cameroon. This region is characterized by a unique blend of forested areas and savannas, creating a diverse and dynamic landscape.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Cameroon</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Sierra Leone</span>

The wildlife of Sierra Leone is very diverse due to the variety of different habitats within the country. Sierra Leone is home to approximately 2090 known higher plant species, 147 known species of mammals, 172 known breeding bird species, 67 known reptile species, 35 known amphibian species and 99 known species of fish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Guinea</span>

The wildlife of Guinea is very diverse due to its wide variety of habitats. The southern part of the country lies within the Guinean Forests of West Africa biodiversity hotspot, while the north-east is characterized by dry savanna woodlands. Ecoregions of Guinea are the Western Guinean lowland forests, Guinean montane forests, Guinean forest–savanna mosaic, West Sudanian savanna, and Guinean mangroves.

The wildlife of Gabon is composed of its flora and fauna. Gabon is a largely low-lying country with a warm, humid climate. Much of the country is still covered by tropical rainforest and there are also grasslands, savannas, large rivers and coastal lagoons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Liberia</span>

The wildlife of Liberia consists of the flora and fauna of the Republic of Liberia. This West African nation has a long Atlantic coastline and a range of habitat types, with a corresponding diversity of plants and animals. Liberia is considered a biodiversity hotspot and has more intact forests characteristic of the Upper Guinea Massif than do neighbouring countries. There are 2000 species of vascular plants, approximately 140 species of mammals, and over 600 species of birds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of the Gambia</span>

The wildlife of the Gambia is dictated by several habitat zones over the Gambia's land area of about 10,000 km2. It is bound in the south by the savanna and on the north by the Sudanian woodlands. The habitats host abundant indigenous plants and animals, in addition to migrant species and newly planted species. They vary widely and consist of the marine system, coastal zone, estuary with mangrove vegetation coupled with Banto Faros, river banks with brackish and fresh water zones, swamps covered with forests and many wetlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Togo</span>

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.

Assagny National Park or Azagny National Park is a national park in the south of Ivory Coast. It is situated on the coast some 75 km (47 mi) to the west of Abidjan, between the mouth of the Bandama River and the Ébrié Lagoon, and occupies an area of about 17,000 hectares.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marahoué National Park</span> National park in Ivory Coast

Marahoué National Park is a national park in Ivory Coast. It was established in 1968, and covers 1,010 km2 (390 sq mi). However, it has lost nearly all its forest cover in the first two decades of the 21st century. Over the years, the park has been damaged and occupied by people and no longer provides suitable habitat for chimpanzees or many other large animals.

Mont Sângbé National Park is a national park in Ivory Coast. The Encyclopædia Britannica lists it among the "principal national parks of the world". It acquired national park status in 1976.

Taï is a town in southwestern Ivory Coast. It is a sub-prefecture of and the seat of Taï Department in Cavally Region, Montagnes District. Taï is also a commune. The town is between Taï National Park and the Cavally River. The river—which is the border with Liberia—is less than two kilometres south of the town. Previously, Taï was a sub-prefecture of the Guiglo Department; Taï Department was created on 22 March 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environment of Ivory Coast</span>

The environment of Côte d'Ivoire has more than 1,200 animal species—223 mammal, 702 bird, 125 reptile, 38 amphibian, and 111 fish species—and 4,700 plant species. It is the most biodiverse country in West Africa, but unlike other countries there, its diversity isn't concentrated along the coast, but rather in the rugged interior. However, much like the rest of West Africa, Côte d'Ivoire has suffered severe deforestation.

References

  1. Philip's (1994). Atlas of the World. Reed International. p. 100. ISBN   0-540-05831-9.
  2. "The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire". West Africa: Land Use and Land Cover Dynamics. USGS. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  3. Robert E. Handloff, ed. (1988). "Ivory Coast: Climate". Library of Congress. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  4. 1 2 "Countries with the most number of mammal species". Tropical Rainforests. Mongabey. 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  5. 1 2 Hughes, R.H. (1992). A Directory of African Wetlands. IUCN. p. 350. ISBN   978-2-88032-949-5.
  6. "Protection of a chimpanzee community in the Taï National Park through local community ecotourism". Fondation Ensemble. 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  7. "Case Study: Protecting the ecological integrity of Comoé National Park". West Africa: Land Use and Land Cover Dynamics. USGS. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  8. "Case Study: Marahoué National Park: a protected area on the edge of existence". West Africa: Land Use and Land Cover Dynamics. USGS. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  9. McGinley, Mark. "Comoé National Park, Côte d'Ivoire". Encyclopedia of Earth. United Nations Environment Programme-World Conservation. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  10. "Taï National Park". UNESCO. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  11. "Parc National de Taï". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  12. "Côte d'Ivoire". Data Zone. BirdLife International. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  13. "Côte d'Ivoire". Data Zone. BirdLife International. Retrieved 15 June 2019.