Assessing Threats to Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, Togo, Using Birds as Indicators of Biodiversity Conservation
Protected areas are crucial for the conservation of West Africa’s increasingly imperiled wildlife, but are under unprecedented pressure associated with exponential human population growth in the region. Using birds as biodiversity indicators, we investigated the conservation status of Togo’s Fazao-M...
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2025-01-01
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| author | Lin-Ernni Mikégraba Kaboumba Irene Di Lecce Komlan M. Afiademanyo Yendoubouam Kourdjouak Nico Arcilla |
| author_facet | Lin-Ernni Mikégraba Kaboumba Irene Di Lecce Komlan M. Afiademanyo Yendoubouam Kourdjouak Nico Arcilla |
| author_sort | Lin-Ernni Mikégraba Kaboumba |
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| description | Protected areas are crucial for the conservation of West Africa’s increasingly imperiled wildlife, but are under unprecedented pressure associated with exponential human population growth in the region. Using birds as biodiversity indicators, we investigated the conservation status of Togo’s Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, which was managed by a private foundation from 1990 to 2015, and since 2015 has been managed by the state. Between 2022 and 2024, we conducted 90 days of bird surveys in the park and documented a total of 240 bird species. Our findings include 34 species new to the park, including the first record of Emin’s Shrike (<i>Lanius gubernator</i>) in Togo, the first sightings of the Great Blue Turaco (<i>Corythaeola cristata</i>) since 1990, and first observations of the Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill (<i>Bucorvus abyssinicus</i>) since 2019. Many such species survive in Togo only in Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, but its exceptional biodiversity has come under increasing assault from illegal activities, including poaching, logging, road construction, charcoal production, cattle grazing, and land clearance to establish agricultural plantations. We were unable to document 91 bird species previously reported for the park during our surveys, suggesting a possible ~31% decline in avian species richness in the park compared to historical records. Apparent extirpations of globally-threatened raptors such as the Critically Endangered White-backed Vulture (<i>Gyps africanus</i>) and Hooded Vulture (<i>Necrosyrtes monachus</i>), and declines of the Endangered Bateleur (<i>Terathopius ecaudatus</i>) and Martial Eagle (<i>Polemaetus bellicosus</i>) further indicate that current conservation strategies are failing to adequately protect wildlife in the park. Togo’s two other historical national parks have already been almost entirely destroyed by human activities, and unless urgent conservation action is taken, there is a high risk that Fazao-Malfakassa National Park will share the same fate. We urgently recommend improving support for law enforcement capacity and park staff, conducting community conservation outreach, and ongoing monitoring of wildlife in the park to assess its conservation success. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cb1ec66e64a64ce79cbf673ce61d1644 |
| institution | OA Journals |
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| language | English |
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| spelling | doaj-art-cb1ec66e64a64ce79cbf673ce61d16442025-08-20T02:04:01ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2025-01-0114222510.3390/land14020225Assessing Threats to Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, Togo, Using Birds as Indicators of Biodiversity ConservationLin-Ernni Mikégraba Kaboumba0Irene Di Lecce1Komlan M. Afiademanyo2Yendoubouam Kourdjouak3Nico Arcilla4Laboratory of Ecology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lomé, Lome 01 BP 1515, TogoInternational Bird Conservation Partnership, Carmel, CA 93923, USALaboratory of Ecology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lomé, Lome 01 BP 1515, TogoInternational Bird Conservation Partnership, Carmel, CA 93923, USAInternational Bird Conservation Partnership, Carmel, CA 93923, USAProtected areas are crucial for the conservation of West Africa’s increasingly imperiled wildlife, but are under unprecedented pressure associated with exponential human population growth in the region. Using birds as biodiversity indicators, we investigated the conservation status of Togo’s Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, which was managed by a private foundation from 1990 to 2015, and since 2015 has been managed by the state. Between 2022 and 2024, we conducted 90 days of bird surveys in the park and documented a total of 240 bird species. Our findings include 34 species new to the park, including the first record of Emin’s Shrike (<i>Lanius gubernator</i>) in Togo, the first sightings of the Great Blue Turaco (<i>Corythaeola cristata</i>) since 1990, and first observations of the Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill (<i>Bucorvus abyssinicus</i>) since 2019. Many such species survive in Togo only in Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, but its exceptional biodiversity has come under increasing assault from illegal activities, including poaching, logging, road construction, charcoal production, cattle grazing, and land clearance to establish agricultural plantations. We were unable to document 91 bird species previously reported for the park during our surveys, suggesting a possible ~31% decline in avian species richness in the park compared to historical records. Apparent extirpations of globally-threatened raptors such as the Critically Endangered White-backed Vulture (<i>Gyps africanus</i>) and Hooded Vulture (<i>Necrosyrtes monachus</i>), and declines of the Endangered Bateleur (<i>Terathopius ecaudatus</i>) and Martial Eagle (<i>Polemaetus bellicosus</i>) further indicate that current conservation strategies are failing to adequately protect wildlife in the park. Togo’s two other historical national parks have already been almost entirely destroyed by human activities, and unless urgent conservation action is taken, there is a high risk that Fazao-Malfakassa National Park will share the same fate. We urgently recommend improving support for law enforcement capacity and park staff, conducting community conservation outreach, and ongoing monitoring of wildlife in the park to assess its conservation success.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/2/225biodiversity indicatorsbird surveysconservation effectivenessendangered speciesenvironmental monitoringillegal activities |
| spellingShingle | Lin-Ernni Mikégraba Kaboumba Irene Di Lecce Komlan M. Afiademanyo Yendoubouam Kourdjouak Nico Arcilla Assessing Threats to Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, Togo, Using Birds as Indicators of Biodiversity Conservation Land biodiversity indicators bird surveys conservation effectiveness endangered species environmental monitoring illegal activities |
| title | Assessing Threats to Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, Togo, Using Birds as Indicators of Biodiversity Conservation |
| title_full | Assessing Threats to Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, Togo, Using Birds as Indicators of Biodiversity Conservation |
| title_fullStr | Assessing Threats to Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, Togo, Using Birds as Indicators of Biodiversity Conservation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing Threats to Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, Togo, Using Birds as Indicators of Biodiversity Conservation |
| title_short | Assessing Threats to Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, Togo, Using Birds as Indicators of Biodiversity Conservation |
| title_sort | assessing threats to fazao malfakassa national park togo using birds as indicators of biodiversity conservation |
| topic | biodiversity indicators bird surveys conservation effectiveness endangered species environmental monitoring illegal activities |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/2/225 |
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