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Vanthomme et al., 2013), Thus, information relating to mammalian presence is of importance to conservation and development planning. Socio-economic development in central and western Africa has commonly taken the form of natural resource extraction. While this extraction takes place on unprotected land, such activities can have severely negative effects on mammal populations as unprotected land can contribute to biodiversity conservation more effectively than formalised protected areas (Tranquilli et al., 2014). This study took place in the Kouilou Department of the Republic of Congo. Dowsett and Dowsett-Lemaire (1991) conducted one of

A rapid biodiversity assessment was conducted in the Republic of the Congo including a systematic biodiversity study (including a targeted study of mammals), implemented over two seasons. One hundred thirteen recce transects (250 m by 2 m) were undertaken over 34 days of fieldwork. A total of 19 species were detected (3 to genus level only). The encounter rate was 26.65 mammalian signs per km; no differences in numbers of signs between season appeared; however, the dry-season species accumulation pattern was higher than during wet season. Correlation analysis showed increasing density of mammals as distance away from villages, lakes and coast increased. The correlation result is deemed to highlight not only a substantial hunting pressure and avoidance of humans, but also preference for forested habitats noted to appear from 20 km distance from the coast. Using high numbers of relatively short recce transect proved a useful supplementary method for assessing mammalian diversity during rapid biodiversity assessments. Results suggest that 70 recce transects (with a minimum of eight per habitat type) would have been sufficient to yield this information.