AVIS-IBIS

Birds of Indian Subcontinent

Ornithological importance of coastal wetlands in Guinea

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:2000
Authors:Fode, LC
Journal:Ostrich
Volume:71
Issue:1-2
Date Published:2000
ISBN Number:0030-6525
Keywords:Africa, Anhinga, Anhinga anhinga, Anhinga melanogaster, Anhinga rufa, Anhingidae, Butorides striata, Butorides striatus, Ciconia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Hydroprogne, Hydroprogne caspia, Laridae, Liberia, Phoenicopteridae, Phoenicopterus, Phoenicopterus roseus, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sterna, Sterna caspia, Struthio, Struthio camelus, Struthionidae, Sula, Sula leucogaster, Sulidae
Abstract:Fode, L.C. 2000. Omithological importance of coastal wetlands in Guinea. Ostrich 71 (1 & 2): 343. For a number of years, the Guinean government has given high priority to nature conservation. Currently the conservation and wise use of natural resources are important issues of the country's developmental policy. The country has a rainy season of seven months (May-November), and heavy rainfall in the coastal area, an average of 2 000?4 000 mm/yr. Coastal wetlands cover a large area: 700 km2 mud flats, 600 km2 mangroves, 780 km2 rice fields and several hundred km2 freshwater swamp. Large numbers of waterbirds can be found in the Guinean coastal wetlands, and also in Senegal, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cöte d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, and Gambia. These countries share the same natural resources with Republic of Guinea, especially during the European winter, when, in addition to the Afrotropical species, there are many palearctic migrants. Over half a million waterbirds winter in the area, of which the palearctic waders, with 430 000, form the major part. Additionally, there are considerable numbers of flamingos, herons, egrets, and terns. The numbers of waterbirds during the European summer amount to 20% of those in winter, of the palearctic waders alone to 10%. In both seasons by far the largest number of waterbirds can be found on the mudflats. Various breeding waterbirds can be found on a few islands (> 3 000 pairs of brown booby, Sula leucogaster on the Isle of Alcatraz), and in the mangroves, rice fields and freshwater swamps. There are considerable breeding numbers of African Darter Anhinga rufa, Green-backed heron Buroroides striatus, White-necked stork Ciconia espiscopus and Caspian Tem Sterna caspia?breeding occurs mainly in the rainy season, except for the island, where most breeding takes place in the dry season. The Guinean coastal wetlands meet also the various criteria developed under the terms of the Ramsar Convention to identify wetlands of international importance. They easily meet the criterion of ?regularly supporting 20 000 waterfowl? by the mere occurrence of large numbers during this period. The Guinean coastline, which has a length of 300 km, covers about a quarter of the West African mangrove coast between mid-Senegal and Sierra Leone. Although part of the mangroves have disappeared because of tree cutting and land reclamation for rice cultivation, these tidal forests still form a main part of the Guinean coast. Nearly all the well-developed large scale mangrove areas lie north of Conakry. According to some observations these are the three major threats to the coastal wetlands of Guinea: destruction of the mangrove habitats, hunting, disturbance of breeding sites, the latter being predominantly human disturbance of breeding bird colonies. Especially important is the destruction of parts of the mangrove zones by wood cutting and land reclamation in favour of rice cultivation. The Ninth Pan-African Ornithological Congress should be an opportunity to recommend the execution of appropriate national regional training programmes for concerned African countries. That programme will help to have solid specialists able to present adapted ornithological policies in the interested countries of Africa. The congress should also organise an official regional institution through which periodical contacts of specialists and quthorities can be made at local and international level. The congress must have some international development co-operation in ornithological fields in Africa. The congress may recommend development co-operation policy with Ramsar Convention Office, Wetlands International, WWF, IUCN, and any other concerned institutions.Fode, L.C. 2000. Omithological importance of coastal wetlands in Guinea. Ostrich 71 (1 & 2): 343. For a number of years, the Guinean government has given high priority to nature conservation. Currently the conservation and wise use of natural resources are important issues of the country's developmental policy. The country has a rainy season of seven months (May-November), and heavy rainfall in the coastal area, an average of 2 000?4 000 mm/yr. Coastal wetlands cover a large area: 700 km2 mud flats, 600 km2 mangroves, 780 km2 rice fields and several hundred km2 freshwater swamp. Large numbers of waterbirds can be found in the Guinean coastal wetlands, and also in Senegal, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cöte d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, and Gambia. These countries share the same natural resources with Republic of Guinea, especially during the European winter, when, in addition to the Afrotropical species, there are many palearctic migrants. Over half a million waterbirds winter in the area, of which the palearctic waders, with 430 000, form the major part. Additionally, there are considerable numbers of flamingos, herons, egrets, and terns. The numbers of waterbirds during the European summer amount to 20% of those in winter, of the palearctic waders alone to 10%. In both seasons by far the largest number of waterbirds can be found on the mudflats. Various breeding waterbirds can be found on a few islands (> 3 000 pairs of brown booby, Sula leucogaster on the Isle of Alcatraz), and in the mangroves, rice fields and freshwater swamps. There are considerable breeding numbers of African Darter Anhinga rufa, Green-backed heron Buroroides striatus, White-necked stork Ciconia espiscopus and Caspian Tem Sterna caspia?breeding occurs mainly in the rainy season, except for the island, where most breeding takes place in the dry season. The Guinean coastal wetlands meet also the various criteria developed under the terms of the Ramsar Convention to identify wetlands of international importance. They easily meet the criterion of ?regularly supporting 20 000 waterfowl? by the mere occurrence of large numbers during this period. The Guinean coastline, which has a length of 300 km, covers about a quarter of the West African mangrove coast between mid-Senegal and Sierra Leone. Although part of the mangroves have disappeared because of tree cutting and land reclamation for rice cultivation, these tidal forests still form a main part of the Guinean coast. Nearly all the well-developed large scale mangrove areas lie north of Conakry. According to some observations these are the three major threats to the coastal wetlands of Guinea: destruction of the mangrove habitats, hunting, disturbance of breeding sites, the latter being predominantly human disturbance of breeding bird colonies. Especially important is the destruction of parts of the mangrove zones by wood cutting and land reclamation in favour of rice cultivation. The Ninth Pan-African Ornithological Congress should be an opportunity to recommend the execution of appropriate national regional training programmes for concerned African countries. That programme will help to have solid specialists able to present adapted ornithological policies in the interested countries of Africa. The congress should also organise an official regional institution through which periodical contacts of specialists and quthorities can be made at local and international level. The congress must have some international development co-operation in ornithological fields in Africa. The congress may recommend development co-operation policy with Ramsar Convention Office, Wetlands International, WWF, IUCN, and any other concerned institutions.
URL:http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00306525.2000.9639950
Short Title:Ostrich
Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith