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 (including 225 tree species), approximately 140 species of mammals, and over 600 species of birds.
The country lies close to the equator with a long coastline on the Atlantic Ocean. The terrain consists of flat or undulating coastal plains, which rise to a rolling plateau and low mountains in the northeast. A number of short rivers flow from northeast to southwest. [1] The coastal area is characterised by swamps and mangrove forests, while inland the tropical forests give way to grassland on the drier plateau area. The climate is equatorial with some rain all year round but the main rainy season falling between May and October. Most of the coastal area receives about 4,000 mm (157 in) of rain per year but this decreases inland, with the northern part of the country being the driest, with just half the coastal rainfall. [2]
The coastal area west of Monrovia is forested and has coastal swamps and lagoons, and there are swamps around the lagoon of Bassa Bwa, but there are no substantial wetlands inland. [2]
Liberia can be considered a biodiversity hotspot and has the highest remaining portion of the forests of the Upper Guinea Massif, containing many species endemic to the region. This humid coastal forest ecosystem extends from Liberia through Cote d‘Ivoire, Ghana and Sierra Leone to Togo, and is under threat from deforestation and coastal development. Liberia has more than 2000 species of vascular plant including 225 timber tree species, 140 species of mammal, over 600 species of bird and 75 species of reptile and amphibian. [3]
Two main types of forest are found in Liberia. Evergreen forests in the south east of the country, which has very high rainfall, are characterised by dense vegetation with trees of varying heights. Sapo National Park exemplifies this forest type, and contains many endemic species. Moist semi-deciduous forest is found in the central and northwestern parts of the country with slightly lower rainfall. This has a more even height and a more open aspect. In 2009 it was estimated that forest cover amounted to about 32% of the country's area. There are eleven partially protected national forests. [3]
Patches of mangrove occur along the coast and near the mouth of many rivers, often lining the banks of the rivers' lower reaches. [2] Mangrove ecosystems are important for biodiversity, as a habitat for crustaceans and young fish, for flood control and erosion control. However, mangroves are threatened by overharvesting for charcoal and firewood, and already there are few remaining areas of primary forest. [4]
The pygmy hippopotamus occurs in riverine forests inland, for example those beside the Lofa, Cestos and Cavalla Rivers. [2] Liberia is its main habitat, with smaller populations in neighbouring countries. The African manatee also occurs along the coast and in many of the river systems. Other mammals found in the forests are leopards, monkeys, chimpanzees, antelopes, elephants and anteaters. The Liberian mongoose is probably the rarest mammal, none having been seen for years until one was captured in 1989; [5] it is hunted for bushmeat and classified as vulnerable by the IUCN. [6] The red river hog is much more common. [7]
Sapo National Park hosts around 125 species of mammal. [8] These include the African golden cat, the drill, seven species of monkey, Gola malimbe and the Liberian mongoose. The park is also home to the African civet, giant forest hog, speckle-throated otter, seven species of duiker, the water chevrotain and three species of pangolins. [9]
As of 2016, the number of bird species recorded in Liberia is 695, some resident and some migratory, with 21 of them being globally threatened. These rare species include the white-backed vulture, the hooded vulture and the Balearic shearwater. [10] Lake Piso, a coastal lagoon, is one of five wetland sites in the country which have been designated as Ramsar sites. [11] Some of the larger birds found in the rainforest are parrots, woodpeckers and hornbills. Flamingoes are found in the coastal swamps and lagoons. [5] Other resident species are the black-collared lovebird, the blue-headed wood-dove, the white-breasted guineafowl and the white-necked rockfowl. [10] The pepper bird ( Pycnonotus barbatus ) is the national bird. [12]
Around 590 species of bird have been recorded in Sapo National Park. [8] These include the white-breasted guineafowl and white-necked rockfowl, the African fish eagle, the African grey parrot, the great blue turaco, the woodland kingfisher, egrets, hornbills, bee-eaters, rollers and sunbirds. [9]
The Nile crocodile and the dwarf crocodile occur in the coastal mangrove swamps but are rare, while the West African crocodile occurs further inland and is relatively common. [2] There are a wide variety of lizards, chameleons, geckos and snakes, including Bitis rhinoceros , a venomous viper endemic to West Africa, slender tree snakes that feed on birds and their eggs, and blind snakes in the genus Typhlops . Six species of turtle are found in Liberia, three marine and three freshwater, although one of the latter, the forest hinge-back tortoise is largely terrestrial. [13]
With the high rainfall, amphibians are plentiful in the country, and include several genera endemic to the region including Silurana , Hymenochirus and Pseudhymenochirus . [14] Other frogs native to Liberia include the African common toad, the western clawed frog, [15] and the crowned bullfrog. A number of species of tree frog live in the foliage of trees, and the worm-like caecilian Geotrypetes seraphini inhabits ants' nests. [13]
Freshwater fish found in the lakes, rivers, streams and brackish swamps of Liberia include the African brown knifefish, the Guinean killifish, the Jeanpol's killi, the Norman's lampeye, the Rancurel's lampeye and the banded lampeye. The rough-head sea catfish occurs in brackish and marine habitats and is of interest to fisheries. [16] Other commercially-fished species are the Madeiran and round sardinellas, the Spanish mackerel, the bonga, and the European anchovy, and large quantities of shrimps and lobsters are brought ashore. [3]
About 530 species of butterfly are known to be from Liberia, [17] one of which is endemic. [18]
Like other West African nations, Liberia is experiencing destruction of its native forests and a resulting decrease in biodiversity. The main conservation threats are the replacement of forests by rubber plantations, and more recently by oil palm plantations, mining, lumbering, unsustainable firewood collection, charcoal production, the introduction of alien species, slash-and-burn cultivation practices and the uncontrolled hunting and harvesting of wild animals and plants. An action plan, running from 2017 to 2027, has been put in place which is designed to educate the populace in order to "promote the conservation and sustenance of Liberia‘s rich biological diversity, resources and culture". [3]
The Afrotropical realm is one of the Earth's eight biogeographic realms. It includes Sub-Saharan Africa, the southern Arabian Peninsula, the island of Madagascar, and the islands of the western Indian Ocean. It was formerly known as the Ethiopian Zone or Ethiopian Region.
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.
Sundarbans is a mangrove area in the delta formed by the confluence of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna Rivers in the Bay of Bengal. Spread across parts of India and Bangladesh, this forest is the largest mangrove forest in the world. It spans the area from the Baleswar River in Bangladesh's division of Khulna to the Hooghly River in India's state of West Bengal. It comprises closed and open mangrove forests, land used for agricultural purpose, mudflats and barren land, and is intersected by multiple tidal streams and channels. Sundarbans is home to the world's largest area of mangrove forests. Four protected areas in the Sundarbans are enlisted as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, viz. Sundarbans West (Bangladesh), Sundarbans South (Bangladesh), Sundarbans East (Bangladesh) and Sundarbans National Park (India).
Trinidad and Tobago are continental islands with a geologically very recent history of direct land bridge connection to South America. As a result, unlike most of the Caribbean Islands, Trinidad and Tobago supports a primarily South American flora and fauna and has greater diversity of plant and animal species than the Antilles. However, rates of endemism are lower than in the rest of the Caribbean because there has been less time for genetic isolation from mainland populations because of the history of land bridge connections and hence fewer opportunities for speciation, and so a greater proportion of the species in Trinidad and Tobago are also found on the South American mainland. Trinidad is nearer to mainland South America and has been directly connected to the mainland via land bridges more often and for longer periods than Tobago. This, as well as Trinidad's larger size and more varied topography and hydrology compared to that of Tobago allow greater species and ecosystem diversity on the former compared to that on the later of the islands.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The wildlife of Mozambique consists of the flora and fauna of this country in southeastern Africa. Mozambique has a range of different habitat types and an ecologically rich and diverse wildlife. This includes 236 species of mammal, 740 species of bird and 5,692 species of vascular plant. The Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany hotspot, with significantly high levels of biodiversity, stretches from the southern tip of Mozambique into northeastern South Africa.
The wildlife of Nigeria consists of the flora and fauna of this country in West Africa. Nigeria has a wide variety of habitats, ranging from mangrove swamps and tropical rainforest to savanna with scattered clumps of trees. About 290 mammal species and 940 bird species 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.
The banded lampeye is a species of poeciliid that is native to Africa, ranging from Senegal to Angola. It is mainly found in coastal brackish habitats such as river mouths, lagoons and mangrove swamps. It reaches up to 7 cm (2.8 in) in total length.
Sapo National Park is a national park in Sinoe County, Liberia. It is the country's largest protected area of rainforest, was the first national park established in the country, and contains the second-largest area of primary tropical rainforest in West Africa after Taï National Park in neighbouring Côte d'Ivoire. Agriculture, construction, fishing, hunting, human settlement, and logging are prohibited in the park.
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.
The Gulf of Oman desert and semi-desert is a coastal ecoregion on the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman in Oman and the United Arab Emirates at the northeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. The climate is hot and dry, with gravelly plains and savanna with thorny acacia trees inland from the coast. Along the coast there are mixture of habitats that include mangrove swamps, lagoons and mudflats. The mangrove areas are dominated by Avicennia marina and the savanna by Prosopis cineraria and Vachellia tortilis. Masirah Island is an important breeding area for the loggerhead sea turtle and other sea turtles also occur here, as well as a great variety of birds, some resident and some migratory. There are some protected areas, but in general the habitats have been degraded by the grazing of livestock, especially camels and goats; they are also at risk from oil spills, off-road driving and poaching.
Biodiversity in Suriname is high, mostly because of the variety of habitats and the temperature. The average annual temperature in the coastal area is between 26° and 28°C. Suriname can be divided into four major ecological zones, namely from north to south;
The wildlife of Yemen is substantial and varied. Yemen is a large country in the southern half of the Arabian Peninsula with several geographic regions, each with a diversity of plants and animals adapted to their own particular habitats. As well as high mountains and deserts, there is a coastal plain and long coastline. The country has links with Europe and Asia, and the continent of Africa is close at hand. The flora and fauna have influences from all these regions and the country also serves as a staging post for migratory birds.
Sri Lanka exhibits a remarkable biological diversity and is considered to be the richest country in Asia in terms of species concentration.
The flora and fauna of Brunei Darussalam is one of its primary draws. Tropical evergreen rainforest makes up the majority of the country's natural vegetation. 81% of the land is covered by forests, with 59% being primary forests and 22% being secondary forests and plantations. With an estimated 2,000 species of trees, Brunei is home to an estimated 15,000 different species of Vascular plants. Brunei's mammal and bird populations are comparable to those of Sumatra, the Malaysian Peninsula, and Borneo as a whole.
Sapo National Park.