Biota of the WAP complex – starting a citizen science project for West Africa’s largest complex of protected areas

Schmidt, Marco; Assèdé, Eméline Sêssi Pélagie; Oebel, Horst; Fahr, Jakob; Sinsin, Brice

doi:10.21248/fvss.19.31

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 4 publications

(3 reference statements)

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“…Furthermore, this complex is at the heart of the largest protected area block in the West African Savannah/Woodland Biogeographic Province. It comprises the largest and most important continuum of terrestrial, semi-aquatic and aquatic ecosystems in the West African savannah belt (Schmidt et al, 2016). The controlled management of this area prevents anthropic action and allows the conservation of several animal and plant species.…”

Section: Prediction Of the Risk Of The Presence Of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) Microplus In The Different Municipalities Of The Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

First digital characterization of the transhumance corridors through Benin used by cattle herds from Burkina Faso and associated risk scoring regarding the invasion of Rhipicephalus ( Boophilus ) microplus

Zannou

Ouedraogo

Biguezoton

et al. 2020

Transbound Emerg Dis

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Section: Prediction Of the Risk Of The Presence Of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) Microplus In The Different Municipalities Of The Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

First digital characterization of the transhumance corridors through Benin used by cattle herds from Burkina Faso and associated risk scoring regarding the invasion of Rhipicephalus ( Boophilus ) microplus

Zannou

Ouedraogo

Biguezoton

et al. 2020

Transbound Emerg Dis

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“…In recent times, camera-trapping has been shown to be effective in assessing spatiotemporal behaviour of crested porcupines, even in areas hard to be directly investigated and even when the porcupine is not the target species of the camera-trap survey (e.g., Fattorini and Pokheral 2012;Mazzamuto et al 2019). A citizen science project on the iNaturalist platform including data collected through camera-trapping since 2011 has allowed researchers to access to biodiversity data on protected areas of Western Africa (Schmidt et al 2016). Aims of this work were to describe habitat use and patterns of activity rhythms of the threatened crested porcupine in western Africa.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Blessing the rains down in Africa: spatiotemporal behaviour of the crested porcupine <em>Hystrix cristata</em> (Mammalia: Rodentia) in the rainy and dry seasons, in the African savannah

Viviano¹,

Amori²,

Luiselli

et al. 2020

Trop Zool

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The assessment of habitat selection and temporal patterns of activity rhythms is paramount for wildlife conservation. Studies on behavioural ecology of wild mammals are particularly challenging in tropical areas, mostly when involving rare or elusive species. Despite being a common species in Italy, the crested porcupine Hystrix cristata is threatened of extinction throughout most of its sub-Saharan range. All available information on the ecology of this species has been collected in Italy, whereas no data is present in the scientific literature on spatiotemporal behaviour of this large rodent in Africa. In this work, we attempted to determine habitat selection and temporal patterns of activity rhythms of the crested porcupine in northern Benin and neighbouring countries, through intensive camera-trapping. We collected a total of 146 records of crested porcupine, 91 in the dry season (October-March) and 55 in the rainy season (April-September). Porcupines used most habitats in proportion to their local availability, while selecting rock outcrop formations (possibly used as shelter sites) and avoiding open areas, wetlands and gallery forests. A mostly nocturnal behaviour was confirmed throughout the year, with some diurnal activity at the start and at the end of the rainy season. The importance of rains in determining birth peak has been also showed, with juvenile individuals always observed at the start and at the end of the rainy season. Full moon always inhibited activity of this large rodent, most likely evolved as an antipredatory behaviour to limit encounters with potential predators (common leopard Panthera pardus, spotted hyaena Crocuta crocuta and honey badger Mellivora capensis) and humans. Poaching pressure towards porcupines in West Africa is strong. Porcupines are killed for the traditional medicine, for their meat and because they are widely considered as a crop pest. This assessment should therefore be used as a basic tool to design conservation plans to preserve this rodent species in its native range.

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A checklist of vascular plants of the W National Park in Burkina Faso, including the adjacent hunting zones of Tapoa-Djerma and Kondio

Nacoulma

Schmidt²,

Hahn³

et al. 2020

BDJ

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The W National Park and its two hunting zones represent a unique ecosystem in Burkina Faso for biodiversity conservation. This study aims at providing a detailed view of the current state of the floristic diversity as a baseline for future projects aiming at protecting and managing its resources. We combined intensive inventories and distribution records from vegetation plots, photo records and herbarium collections. This is the first comprehensive checklist of vascular plants of the Burkina Faso part of the transborder W National Park. With 721 documented species including 19 species new to Burkina Faso, the Burkina Faso part of the W National Park is, so far, the nature reserve with most plant species in Burkina Faso. To a large extent, this may be assigned to its high habitat diversity and moderate degree of disturbance, but also to a relatively large area within an even larger complex of neighbouring protected areas, as well as comprehensive spatial, ecological and seasonal sampling efforts. However, as a World Heritage Site and regarding the current general context of insecurity, the W National Park and the entire WAP Complex require more international attention in order to ensure its conservation.

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Biota of the WAP complex – starting a citizen science project for West Africa’s largest complex of protected areas

Cited by 3 publications

References 4 publications

First digital characterization of the transhumance corridors through Benin used by cattle herds from Burkina Faso and associated risk scoring regarding the invasion of Rhipicephalus ( Boophilus ) microplus

First digital characterization of the transhumance corridors through Benin used by cattle herds from Burkina Faso and associated risk scoring regarding the invasion of Rhipicephalus ( Boophilus ) microplus

Blessing the rains down in Africa: spatiotemporal behaviour of the crested porcupine <em>Hystrix cristata</em> (Mammalia: Rodentia) in the rainy and dry seasons, in the African savannah

A checklist of vascular plants of the W National Park in Burkina Faso, including the adjacent hunting zones of Tapoa-Djerma and Kondio

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