Assessing Threats to Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, Togo, Using Birds as Indicators of Biodiversity Conservation

Lin-Ernni Mikégraba Kaboumba, Irene Di Lecce, Komlan M. Afiademanyo, Yendoubouam Kourdjouak and Nico Arcilla ()
Additional contact information
Lin-Ernni Mikégraba Kaboumba: Laboratory of Ecology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lomé, Lome 01 BP 1515, Togo
Irene Di Lecce: International Bird Conservation Partnership, Carmel, CA 93923, USA
Komlan M. Afiademanyo: Laboratory of Ecology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lomé, Lome 01 BP 1515, Togo
Yendoubouam Kourdjouak: International Bird Conservation Partnership, Carmel, CA 93923, USA
Nico Arcilla: International Bird Conservation Partnership, Carmel, CA 93923, USA

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 2, 1-23

Abstract: 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 ( Lanius gubernator ) in Togo, the first sightings of the Great Blue Turaco ( Corythaeola cristata ) since 1990, and first observations of the Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill ( Bucorvus abyssinicus ) 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 ( Gyps africanus ) and Hooded Vulture ( Necrosyrtes monachus ), and declines of the Endangered Bateleur ( Terathopius ecaudatus ) and Martial Eagle ( Polemaetus bellicosus ) 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.

Keywords: biodiversity indicators; bird surveys; conservation effectiveness; endangered species; environmental monitoring; illegal activities; protected areas; raptor declines; wildlife law enforcement (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/2/225/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/2/225/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:2:p:225-:d:1573382

Access Statistics for this article

Land is currently edited by Ms. Carol Ma

More articles in Land from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().