Distribution locale et estimation des densités des primates dans la réserve transfrontalière du fleuve Mono, Togo (Afrique de l’Ouest)

La réserve de biosphère de Mono est située dans le « Dahomey Gap » qui sépare la ceinture des forêts denses humides ouest-africaines en deux blocs forestiers : guinéen (occidental) et congolais (oriental). Cette discontinuité climatique dahoméenne est caractérisée par des mosaïques de forêts denses semi-décidues, des savanes guinéennes, des prairies marécageuses, des marais, des mangroves et des plans d’eau, des mosaïques d’agroforêts, champs et jachères. Dans cette réserve centrée sur la vallée du Mono entre le Togo et le Bénin, d’une surperficie de 2042,18 km2, nous nous évalué le statut des populations des espèces de primates. Au total, 9 espèces ont été recensées : Galago senegalensis, Galagoides demidoff, Perodicticus potto, Papio anubis, Colobus vellerosus, Cercopithecus erythrogaster erythrogaster, Cercopithecus mona, Erythrocebus patas et Chlorocebus tantalus. Les populations de ces espèces sont distribuées dans quatre unités fondamentales de la réserve : la forêt d’Asrama, le complexe d’aires protégées de Togodo, la forêt sacrée de Godjé-Godjin et la forêt sacrée d’Akissa. Les travaux ont clairement établi un déplacement saisonnier et régulier des populations de ces espèces de primates dans ces différentes unités écologiques. Le complexe d’aires protégées de Togodo constitue le sanctuaire pour les populations de primates dans le Sud du Togo et du Bénin et principalement celle du Hocheur à ventre roux (Cercopithecus erythrogaster erythrogaster) considéré comme espèce en danger critique sur la liste rouge de l’UICN.The reserve of biosphere of Mono river is located in the Dahomey Gap, which is the relatively arid interruption in the West African forest belt that stretches from the Accra Plains in Ghana across the Volta River through Togo to the eastern border of Benin. This West African climate discontinuity is characterized by mosaics of dense semi-deciduous forests, Guinean savannahs, swampy meadows, marshes, mangroves and bodies of water, mosaics of agroforest, farms and fallow land. In this reserve, centered on the Mono valley between Togo and Benin, with 2042.18 km2 area, we assessed the status of populations of primate species. Overall, 9 species were recorded: Galago senegalensis, Galagoides demidoff, Perodicticus potto, Papio anubis, Colobus vellerosus, Cercopithecus erythrogaster erythrogaster, Cercopithecus mona, Erythrocebus patas and Chlorocebus tantalus. The populations of these species are distributed in four basic units of the reserve: the Asmara forest, the Togodo protected area complex, the Godjé-Godjin sacred forest and the Akissa sacred forest. Our works clearly established a seasonal and regular displacement of primate species populations among different ecological units. The Togodo protected areas complex is the sanctuary for primate populations in southern Togo and Benin, and mainly for the Red-bellied Monkey (Cercopithecus erythrogaster erythrogaster), which is considered a Critically Endangered species on the IUCN Red List

Searching for snakes: ball python hunting in southern Togo, West Africa

The ball python (Python regius) is the single most exported live CITES listed species from Africa, with a large proportion of snakes being sourced from Togo, West Africa, officially via a system considered nationally as “ranching”. This study represents the first in-depth review of ball python hunting being carried out by rural communities in Togo for nearly 15 years. Our approach, focused at the bottom of the trade chain, permitted extensive detailed data to be collected from hunters, and provides a unique insight into the practices, drivers and impacts associated with this type of large-scale commercial wildlife trade activity. We show that ball python hunting remains an economically valuable endeavour for these rural hunters. However, it also highlights a number of potential legal, conservation and animal welfare issues associated with the current hunting practices being carried out in Togo (and neighbouring range States) to supply the snake farms and ultimately the international exotic pet trade. Our findings suggest that the methods applied on the ground do not accurately reflect those being reported to national authorities and international regulatory mechanisms such as CITES. This irregular, if not illegal, trade may also be unsustainable, as suggested by hunters reporting that there are fewer ball pythons in the wild than there were five years previously. We recommend that additional scientific investigation (focusing on the size and status of the wild population), better management, and enforcement of regulations, are required to ensure that ball python populations are managed in a sustainable, legal and traceable way

Local distribution and density estimates of primates in the transboundary reserve of the Mono river, Togo (west Africa)

The reserve of biosphere of Mono river is located in the Dahomey Gap, which is the relatively arid interruption in the West African forest belt that stretches from the Accra Plains in Ghana across the Volta River through Togo to the eastern border of Benin. This West African climate discontinuity is characterized by mosaics of dense semi-deciduous forests, Guinean savannahs, swampy meadows, marshes, mangroves and bodies of water, mosaics of agroforest, farms and fallow land. In this reserve, centered on the Mono valley between Togo and Benin, with 2042.18 km² area, we assessed the status of populations of primate species. Overall, 9 species were recorded : Galago senegalensis, Galagoides demidoff, Perodicticus potto, Papio anubis, Colobus vellerosus, Cercopithecus erythrogaster erythrogaster, Cercopithecus mona, Erythrocebus patas and Chlorocebus tantalus. The populations of these species are distributed in four basic units of the reserve : the Asmara forest, the Togodo protected area complex, the Godjé-Godjin sacred forest and the Akissa sacred forest. Our works clearly established a seasonal and regular displacement of primate species populations among different ecological units. The Togodo protected areas complex is the sanctuary for primate populations in southern Togo and Benin, and mainly for the Red-bellied Monkey (Cercopithecus erythrogaster erythrogaster), which is considered a Critically Endangered species on the IUCN Red List.Distribution locale et estimation des densités des primates dans la réserve transfrontalière du fleuve Mono, Togo (Afrique de l’Ouest). La réserve de biosphère de Mono est située dans le «Dahomey Gap» qui sépare la ceinture des forêts denses humides ouest-africaines en deux blocs forestiers : guinéen (occidental) et congolais (oriental). Cette discontinuité climatique dahoméenne est caractérisée par des mosaïques de forêts denses semi-décidues, des savanes guinéennes, des prairies marécageuses, des marais, des mangroves et des plans d’eau, des mosaïques d’agroforêts, champs et jachères. Dans cette réserve centrée sur la vallée du Mono entre le Togo et le Bénin, d’une surperficie de 2042,18 km2, nous nous évalué le statut des populations des espèces de primates. Au total, 9 espèces ont été recensées : Galago senegalensis, Galagoides demidoff, Perodicticus potto, Papio anubis, Colobus vellerosus, Cercopithecus erythrogaste erythrogaster, Cercopithecus mona, Erythrocebus patas et Chlorocebus tantalus. Les populations de ces espèces sont distribuées dans quatre unités fondamentales de la réserve : la forêt d’Asrama, le complexe d’aires protégées de Togodo, la forêt sacrée de Godjé-Godjin et la forêt sacrée d’Akissa. Les travaux ont clairement établi un déplacement saisonnier et régulier des populations de ces espèces de primates dans ces différentes unités écologiques. Le complexe d’aires protégées de Togodo constitue le sanctuaire pour les populations de primates dans le Sud du Togo et du Bénin et principalement celle du Hocheur à ventre roux (Cercopithecus erythrogaster erythrogaster) considéré comme espèce en danger critique sur la liste rouge de l’UICN.Segniagbeto Gabriel, Atsri Komina H., Delagnon Assou, Komla Elikplim Abotsi, Kokouvi Gbetey Akpamou, Amori Giovanni, Dendi Daniele, Decher Jan, Luiselli Luca. Local distribution and density estimates of primates in the transboundary reserve of the Mono river, Togo (west Africa) . In: Revue d'Écologie (La Terre et La Vie), tome 73, n°3, 2018. pp. 363-374

DIVERSITY PATTERNS OF RODENT ASSEMBLAGES IN THE NORTH OF FAZAO-MALFAKASSA NATIONAL PARK (TOGO)

The rodent assemblages were studied in different habitat types in the northern part of the Fazao-Malfakassa National Park located in central-western Togo, West Africa. A suite of different methods was applied, including face-by-face interviews with local hunters, live trapping along standardized transects and opportunistic observations. A total of 20 rodent species were recorded based on the surveys carried out in villages, including 6 families and 17 genera. There was a clear gradient pattern in the univariate diversity indices by habitat type: Dominance index was remarkably higher in Urban/plantation than in the other habitat types whereas Evenness index was remarkably higher in gallery forest than in the other habitat types. According to a Canonical Correspondence Analysis, three “ecological groups” (= guilds) of species were formed: a group from wooded habitats (savannahs and semiforests), a group from grassy savannah and a group from urban/plantation habitats. Null model analyses revealed that species tend to non-randomly congregate in some habitat types and/or localities. The ecological implications of these data were presented