PAPFor

The sooty mangabey

Yuzhou — 2024-03-07T14:13:42Z

The sooty mangabey (Cercocebus atys) is a small monkey in the cercopithecus family. It is easily recognised by its entirely grey coat, which is slightly lighter on the belly. Males weigh between 8 and 10 kg, compared with 5 to 7 kg for females.

Sooty mangabeys during a delousing session, an activity that strengthens social bonds between individuals.

Unlike most other species of monkey in Guinean forests, this mangabey frequently feeds on the ground. It eats mainly fruit, seeds and nuts, with a few invertebrates rounding out its diet. It is a very sociable species, living in groups of up to a hundred individuals, with several breeding males and females. A group's home range is around four to seven square kilometres, with overlaps between different groups. Young males tend to leave their natal group, while females tend to stay within their group. Females give birth to their first offspring at around five years of age, after five and a half months gestation. Sooty mangabeys can live to the age of 18.

A young mangabey, around 2 months old

The sooty mangabey is endemic to the forests of Upper Guinea. Its range extends from the Casamance River in Senegal to the Sassandra River in Côte d'Ivoire. It can therefore be found in the five landscapes supported by PAPFor in Upper Guinea. It is mainly found in dense rainforests, but can also be found in secondary forests. It is particularly fond of marshes and palm forests.

It is possible to habituate the species to the presence of humans, which represents significant potential for tourism. In Taï National Park, for example, a group has been habituated by Wild Chimpanzee Foundation (WCF) and is followed by trackers every day, from morning till night, so that tourists can be taken early in the morning to see them, taking all the necessary health precautions, including wearing a mask covering the mouth and nose, to prevent the spread of disease.

Reptiles and amphibians

Yuzhou — 2024-02-08T08:49:50Z

With more than 100 species of reptiles and over 200 species of amphibians, the so-called herpetofauna is particularly rich in the Guinean forests. And as these animals are slightly less mobile than mammals or birds, the rate of endemism is particularly high: in the course of the evolution of species, many have evolved in isolation, resulting in single species with a restricted distribution. This endemism is particularly high in the mountainous areas on the border between Nigeria and Cameroon and in adjacent areas. A particularly important area is found in the Cross River landscape: the forests between the Cross River and Mount Cameroon. The same is true of other groups of animals such as butterflies.

Further west, there are also reptiles and amphibians endemic to the forests of Upper Guinea and certain mountain ranges between Sierra Leone and Ghana.

Reptiles

The class of reptiles in the forests of West Africa is represented by various groups, including turtles, crocodiles, geckos, agamas, chameleons, skinks and lizards, monitor lizards and snakes. Little is known about these groups, and new species (mainly snakes, agamas and lizards) continue to be discovered almost every year. For example, in April 2021, during a mission funded by PAPFor in the East Nimba Nature Reserve (Liberia), an unidentified snake was observed. Several experts agree that this is probably a species new to science, close to Boaedon olivaceus, the Olive House Snake, but this can only be confirmed if a specimen is captured and studied in more detail.

Unidentified snake Boaedon cf. olivaceus, East Nimba Nature Reserve, Liberia. ©M. Languy

A recent study has determined that the forest cobra living in West Africa is a species in its own right, distinct from its congeners in Central Africa and the Sahelian zones.

A young Black Forest Cobra (Naja guineensis), endemic to the forests of Upper Guinea. East Nimba Nature Reserve, Liberia. ©M. Languy

Among the crocodiles, the dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis) should be noted. This species is found in Upper and Lower Guinea and was sought after until the mid-1980s by certain luxury clothing and leather goods brands. The species is considered vulnerable by the IUCN.

Osteolaemus tetraspis is a forest crocodile from Central and West Africa © H. Zell

While marine turtles are fairly well known, the various terrestrial turtles of the West African forests are less well known. The Pelomedusidae family includes a number of species that prefer waterways, such as the West African black turtle (Pelusios niger) and the African forest turtle (Pelusios gabonensis).

Pelusios niger © Rayna Bell

Other turtles, belonging to the Trionychidae family, also live in humid forest areas, such as the Aubry's flapshell turtle (Cycloderma aubryi) and the African (or Nile) softshell turtle (Trionyx triungus), but are characterised by their soft shells. A final family, the Testudinidae, includes the hard-shelled Kinixys, which lives in undergrowth, mainly in search of mushrooms.

Kinixys erosa is a fairly large land tortoise, typical of the forests of West and Central Africa. © Lieven Devreese

The Senegal mabuya (Trachylepis affinis) is one of the many species in the Scincidae family. This species generally lives near watercourses, such as this specimen photographed in the Sapo National Park. © M. Languy

Amphibians

There are no salamanders or newts in sub-Saharan Africa. Amphibians are therefore mainly represented by frogs and toads (known as Anurans), but also by a very special group of amphibians, the caecilians (also known as Gymnophiona), which have no legs and look a bit like snakes or large earthworms. There are fewer than 10 species of caecilian in the Guinean forest, mainly in south-west Cameroon, but there are also three species in Upper Guinea.

Geotrypetes seraphini is widespread in forests from Sierra Leone to Congo. © Marius Burger https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/81151944, CC0,

Of all the toads in the region, the strangest and most endangered is undoubtedly the Mount Nimba toad (Nimbaphrynoides occidentalis). This tiny toad (just 2 to 3 cm) does not lay eggs, but gives birth to fully formed young like the adults. It is found only in the high grassy meadows of Mount Nimba, which is shared by Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire and Liberia. Because of this very restricted distribution and the recurring threats to its habitat (bush fires in particular), this species is critically endangered. The entire world population of this toad is found in two protected areas: the Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve in Guinea and the East Nimba Nature Reserve in Liberia, both part of the Mount Nimba Landscape, supported by PAPFor.

Mount Nimba viviparous toad, Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve, Guinea. © M. Languy

Many species of toads and frogs have extremely limited distributions, sometimes covering only a few hundred hectares, particularly in the mountain ranges of Cameroon. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that many are threatened with extinction, and protecting their habitats is often vital to preserving these highly sensitive species. Threats include climate change, bush fires, deforestation and the introduction of invasive species, as well as various diseases that can decimate entire populations.

The Liberian puddle frog (Phrynobatrachus liberiensis) is endemic to Guinean forests. Sapo NP © M. Languy

Igbetti's long reed reed frog (Hyperolius igbettensis) is another small frog endemic to the forested areas of Upper and Lower Guinea. Lake Piso, Liberia © M. Languy

Freshwater fish

Yuzhou — 2024-02-08T08:40:27Z

More than 600 species of freshwater fish are known to exist in the Guinean forests, making this a truly remarkable area for fish biodiversity. Many species are endemic, but it is difficult to draw up a precise list.

Around 25% of the world's killifish species are found in the Guinean forests, and around half of these are endemic to these forests. These killies live in small forest streams and creeks, for example Scriptaphyosemion schmitti, which occupies an area of dense forest in the coastal zone of Liberia, or Epiplatys coccinatus, endemic to inland wetlands in central Liberia, or Fundulopanchax powelli, endemic to inland wetlands south of the Niger delta in Nigeria.

Scriptaphyosemion schmitti © K. Nilsson

Callopanchax monroviae © Christian Cauvet

The Emerald aphyosemion (Fundulopanchax scheeli) is a species of killifish endemic to the lower Cross River basin in Nigeria.

The Emerald aphyosemion © Olivier Buisson

Other freshwater fish species threatened with extinction due to siltation and pollution caused by deforestation (industrial farming and shifting slash-and-burn cultivation) and mining include, in Liberia, the Enteromius boboi, which is found in the Farmington River, and the Labeo curriei, which is confined to the Via River, and possibly the Corubal River, in the Saint Paul River catchment in Liberia.

We can only hope that future research will provide a better understanding of the region's freshwater fish, and in particular of their ecological requirements, so that they can be better protected.

Birds

Yuzhou — 2024-02-08T08:37:10Z

There are almost a thousand species of birds in and around the forest zones of West Africa, or almost half of all species in sub-Saharan Africa. The Guinean forests therefore represent a major stock of avian diversity. This high number of species includes mainly breeding species, but also some migratory species that take refuge in West Africa for a few months each year, fleeing either the winter in Europe or the dry season in other African regions.

In addition to this wealth, the forests also contain some unique species. In fact, not counting the 20 or so mountain species confined to the island of Bioko and the border zone between Cameroon and Nigeria, there are 38 bird species endemic to the Guinean forests.

Common name	Nom scientifique
White-breasted Guineafowl	Agelastes meleagrides
Ahanta Francolin	Pternistis ahantensis
Timneh Parrot	Psittacus timneh
Rufous Fishing Owl	Scotopelia ussheri
Blue-moustached Bee-eater	Merops mentalis
Brown-cheeked Hornbill	Bycanistes cylindricus
Yellow-casqued Wattled Hornbill	Ceratogymna elata
Yellow-footed Honeyguide	Melignomon eisentrauti
Little Green Woodpecker	Campethera maculosa
Melancholy Woodpecker	Dendropicos lugubris
Fire-bellied Woodpecker	Chloropicus pyrrhogaster
Fanti Saw-wing	Psalidoprocne obscura
Western Wattled Cuckooshrike	Lobotos lobatus
Baumann's Greenbul	Phyllastrephus baumanni
Green-tailed Bristlebill	Bleda eximius
Grey-headed Bristlebill	Bleda canicapillus
Western Bearded Greenbul	Criniger olivaceus
Bulbul crinon	Criniger barbatus
Finsch's Flycatcher Thrush	Stizorhina finschii
White-tailed Alethe	Alethe diademata
Forest scrub robin	Cercotrichas leucosticta
Sierra Leone Prinia	Schistolais leontica
Sharpe's Apalis	Apalis sharpii
Black-headed Rufous Warbler	Bathmocercus cerviniventris
Kemp's Longbill	Macrosphenus kempi
Nimba Flycatcher	Melaenornis annamarulae
Ussher's Flycatcher	Muscicapa ussheri
West African wattle-eye	Dyaphorophyia hormophora
Red-cheeked wattle-eye	Dyaphorophyia blissetti
Rufous-winged Illadopsis	Illadopsis rufescens
Yellow-headed Picathartes	Picathartes gymnocephalus
Buff-throated Sunbird	Chalcomitra adelberti
Red-billed Helmetshrike	Prionops caniceps
Western square-tailed drongo	Dicrurus occidentalis
Velvet-mantled drongo	Dicrurus atactus
Copper-tailed glossy starling	Hylopsar cupreocauda
Gola Malimbe	Malimbus ballmanni
Red-fronted Antpecker	Parmoptila rubrifrons

The 38 species endemic to Guinea's low- and medium-altitude forests.

Some of these species are emblematic and have cultural or tourist value, such as the Yellow-headed Picathartes (Picathartes gymnocephal). See its identity sheet.
See its identity sheet.

The superb yellow-headed picathartes © N. Borrow

Other emblematic species of the Guinean forests include the Timneh parrot (Psittacus timneh), a cousin of the Grey parrot but rarer; it is on the IUCN's list of endangered species. It is found only in the forests stretching from Guinea to Côte d'Ivoire.

Timneh parrot on Tiwai Island (Sierra Leone, Gola landscape).

Hornbills (Bucerotidae family) are a group of large birds that play an important role in Guinean forests, as they eat many fruits and are great dispersers of tree seeds. There are 10 species of hornbills in the forests of West Africa, two of which are endemic, the Brown-cheeked hornbill (Bycanistes cylindricus) and the Yellow-casqued wattled hornbill (Ceratogymna elata).

The Yellow-casqued wattled hornbill (here, a female in Gola NP, Liberia) is widespread in the large forests from western Cameroon to Casamance. © M. Languy

With no fewer than 18 species, the diversity of cuckoos is exceptional in West Africa. Many are very discreet and only reveal their presence through their song, which is often very typical. Such is the case of the Olive long-tailed cuckoo (Cercococcyx olivinus), which lives exclusively in the canopy of primary forests.

Olive long-tailed cuckoo in the lowland forest of the East Nimba Nature Reserve, Liberia. © M. Languy

With more than 20 species, the bulbuls (Pycnonotidae family) are one of the most typical groups of birds in the forests of Central and West Africa. The vast majority are exclusively forest-dwelling, and no fewer than five species are strictly endemic to the Guinean forests.

The forests of West Africa are also a refuge for a large number of small, mainly insect-eating birds, including Apalis, Camaroptera, Eremomela, etc., all members of the vast Cisticolidae family.

Sharpe's Apalis (Apalis sharpii) is a small insectivorous bird typical of the dense rainforests of West Africa, from Benin to Guinea. It is not often seen because it prefers to live high up in the trees, but its typical song often betrays its presence.

Sharpe's Apalis (Male and female), Nimba. © M. Languy

With around forty species, including four endemics, the group of flycatchers and their allies (Tchitrec and Pririts) is well represented.

The Red-bellied paradise flycatcher (Terpsiphone rufiventer) is widespread in the forests of Central and West Africa. © M. Languy

The West African wattle-eye (Dyaphorophyia hormophora) is a tiny black and white bird, barely 10cm long, similar to a flycatcher. It is endemic to the forests of Upper Guinea, found both inside and on the edges of forests. The male can be recognised by the greyish wattles around its eyes, while the female has a hazel-brown breast.

West African wattle-eye, East Nimba Nature Reserve, Liberia © M. Languy

The Ploceidae include weaverbirds, malimbes and euplectes. These species are essentially seed-eaters and fruit-eaters.

Among this group, the Gola malimbe, also known as Ballmann's malimbe (Malimbus ballmanni), is a forest weaver with a very restricted distribution. It is found almost exclusively in Liberia, with a few outliers in the far east of Sierra Leone, southern Guinea and western Côte d'Ivoire. But even in this restricted range, it can only be found in a few well-preserved forests, such as the Gola, Sapo, Grebo-Krahn and Taï National Parks. With fewer than 10 000 individuals worldwide, the species is classified as "near threatened" by the IUCN. Given that it is found in the Gola, Wologizi-Wonegizi-Ziama, Nimba and Tai-Grebo-Krahn-Sapo landscapes, the PAPFor programme is important in preventing its disappearance.
The Gola malimbe has a unique plumage, as it is the only malimbe with black and yellow plumage. It lives in small groups and very often stays in the canopy of large primary forests, more rarely in old secondary forests, which makes it difficult to observe.

A young male Gola malimbe, Sapo NP. © M. Languy

Duikers

Yuzhou — 2023-12-08T08:47:43Z

We are fairly familiar with the large mammals that inhabit our forests. But among the typical mammals of the Guinean forests, have you heard of duikers?

Duikers are small forest antelopes in the bovid family. The Guinean forests are home to no fewer than 9 species of duiker, 4 of which are endemic, meaning that they are found in no other forest in the world.

Duikers of the Guinean forests
Scientific name	Common name
Philantomba monticola	Blue duiker
Philantomba maxwelli	Maxwell's duiker
Philatomba walteri	Walter's duiker
Cephalophus zebra	Zebra duiker
Cephalophus brookei	Brook's duiker
Cephalophus niger	Black duiker
Cephalophus silvicultor	Yellow-backed duiker
Cephalophus dorsalis	Bay duiker
Cephalophus jentinki	Jentink's duiker
Species shown in bold are endemic to the Upper Guinean forests

Blue and Maxwell's duikers are the smallest species, with an adult female hardly reaching more than 5 or 6 kg. At the other extreme are the Yellow-backed and Jentink's duikers, whose males can reach 80 kg.

Some duikers are emblematic because of their unique appearance. Of particular note are the Zebra duiker (Cephalophus zebra) and the Jentink's duiker (Cephalophus jentinki), both of which have virtually the same distribution: from eastern Sierra Leone to western Côte d'Ivoire.

Duikers are an essential link in the ecological chain of the Guinean forests: they are prey for large predators such as leopard, they control the composition of the undergrowth by eating vegetation, including young plant shoots, and they are important disseminators of trees as they eat ripe fruit that has fallen to the ground.

All duikers are hunted for their meat, and many species have virtually disappeared outside protected areas. It is estimated, for example, that there are fewer than 2 500 individuals of Brook's duiker left, which is considered to be in danger of extinction. The Sapo, Grebo-Krahn and Taï National Parks are important refuges for this species. Similarly, zebra and Jentink's duikers are threatened and their survival depends largely on conservation programmes such as PAPFor, which is active in the Gola-Foya, Wologizi-Wonegizi-Ziama and Taï - Grebo-Krahn - Sapo landscapes, corresponding almost perfectly to their distribution.

Jentink's duiker

Class : Mammal
Order : Cetartiodactyla
Family : Bovidae
Genus : Cephalophus
Species : jentinki
Weight : between 55 and 80 kg, making it one of the largest duikers in Africa.
Dimensions : height at withers: 75-85cm
Diet: mainly young shoots from shrubs in the undergrowth, but especially fruit that has fallen to the ground. Has very strong jaws, enabling it to eat nuts.
Habitat : mainly dense forests with closed canopies, but also natural clearings and adjacent heavily wooded agricultural areas. Requires numerous fruit-bearing trees and dense undergrowth for shelter.
Lifespan: unknown; 21 years in captivity.
Reproduction : very little is known; generally one young per litter.
Social life : no known social organisation; most observations are of isolated individuals, sometimes in pairs. Sedentary and territorial.

Jentink's duiker is a source of national pride in Côte d'Ivoire.

A zebra duiker © Kispál Attila https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12640107

Maxwell's duiker, Taï National Park © Tremarctos Photography

Mammals

Yuzhou — 2023-11-27T11:25:55Z

There are over 300 species of mammals, ranging from forest elephants that weigh up to six tonnes to shrews that can weigh less than 10 grams.

The forest elephant

The African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) is the cousin of the African savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana) and the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). It is smaller, especially with shorter and straighter tusks, than the savannah elephants, adapted to the forest environment where it is more difficult to move through the dense undergrowth. It is generally found in the dense forest of Central and West Africa, but is also sometimes on the edge of forest territory, just like the savannah elephant, with which it can breed and have viable and healthy offspring.

See its identity card

The pygmy hippopotamus

An unusual species, emblematic of the forests of Upper Guinea

The pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis) is a species of hippopotamus native to the forests and swamps of West Africa. It is the cousin of the much better known and larger so-called ‘amphibian' hippopotamus.

It is considered one of the 10 species most in need of protection, to prevent its disappearance.
See its identity sheet

Pangolins of the Guinean Forests

White-bellied pangolin, Sapo NP. M. Languy

Pangolins are exceptional mammals in many ways. The strangest and best-known feature is that they are covered mainly in scales and not hair, except on their bellies. This allows them to curl up into a ball when they feel threatened and escape the fangs of their predators. The name "pangolin" comes from the Malay word ‘pengguling' meaning ‘one who curls up into a ball'. A second characteristic is that they feed almost exclusively on ants and termites. They do not have teeth, but they do have an extremely long tongue, which, when unrolled, is as long as their body.

There are four species of pangolin in Africa, three of which live in PAPFor landscapes:

English names	Scientific names	OKKPS	Gola-Foya	WWZ	Nimba	TGKS	Cross River
Black-bellied pangolin	Uromanis tetradactyla		X	X	X	X	X
White-bellied pangolin	Phataginus tricuspis	X	X	X	X	X	X
Giant Ground pangolin	Smutsia gigantea	X	X	X	X	X

See the species identity card for the black-bellied pangolin.

Primates of the Guinean forests.

Primates are a group of mammals with a special place in every culture, not least because they are biologically very close to humans. As a result, they are excellent 'ambassadors' for conservation programmes.

West Africa is home to 40 species of primate, 7 of which live in savannahs or dry forests and 33 in forests. Of these forest species, no fewer than 23 are strictly endemic to Guinean forests.

The table below lists the primate species found in Guinean forests and their distribution.

Galagidae

Scientific name	Common name	Distribution
Galagoides demidoff	Demidoff's galago	African forests
Galagoides thomasi	Thomas's galago	African forests
Euoticus pallidus	Pallid galago	SE Nigeria to SW Cameroon
Sciurocheirus alleni	Allen's squirrel galago	SE Nigeria to SW Cameroon

Lorisidae

Scientific name	Common name	Distribution
Arctocebus calabarensis	Calabar angwantibo	SE Nigeria to SW Cameroon
Perodicticus potto	Common potto	Senegal to Ghana & Kenya
Perodicticus edwardsi	Milne-Edwards's potto	Nigeria & Central Africa

Cercopithecidae

Scientific name	Common name	Distribution
Cercocebus atys	Sooty mangabey	Senegal to W Côte d'Ivoire
Cercocebus lunulatus	White-naped mangabey	Côte d'Ivoire to Ghana
Cercocebus torquatus	Red-capped mangabey	W Nigeria to S Gabon
Mandrillus leucophaeus	Drill	SE Nigeria to SW Cameroon
Allochrocebus preussi	Preuss's monkey	SE Nigeria to SW Cameroon
Cercopithecus diana	Diana monkey	S Guinea to W Côte d'Ivoire
Cercopithecus roloway	Roloway monkey	S Côte d'Ivoire à E Ghana
Cercopithecus campbelli	Campbell's monkey	S Senegal to E Liberia
Cercopithecus mona	Mona monkey	SE Ghana to SW Cameroon
Cercopithecus lowei	Lowe's monkey	W Côte d'Ivoire to Ghana
Cercopithecus pogonias	Crested monkey	SE Nigeria to the DRC
Cercopithecus petaurista	Spot-nosed monkey	S Senegal to Togo
Cercopithecus erythrogaster	Red-bellied monkey	SE Togo to S Nigeria
Cercopithecus sclateri	Sclater's monkey	SE Nigeria
Cercopithecus erythrotis	Red-eared monkey	SE Nigeria to SW Cameroon
Cercopithecus nictitans	Putty-nosed monkey	N Liberia to Central Africa
Procolobus verus	Olive colobus	Sierra Leone to W Côte d'Ivoire
Piliocolobus badius	Western red colobus	Sierra Leone à O Côte d'Ivoire
Piliocolobus waldroni	Miss Waldron's red colobus	E Côte d'Ivoire to W Ghana
Piliocolobus epieni	Niger Delta red colobus	S Nigeria
Piliocolobus preussi	Preuss's red colobus	SE Nigeria to SW Cameroon
Colobus polykomos	King colobus	S Senegal to W Côte d'Ivoire
Colobus vellerosus	Geoffroy's colobus	C Côte d'Ivoire to W Nigeria
Colobus guereza	Guereza colobus	E Nigeria to East Africa

Hominidae

Scientific name	Common name	Distribution
Gorilla gorilla	Western gorilla	E Nigeria to Congo
Pan troglodytes	Common chimpanzee	S Senegal to Uganda

Other West African primates (living in savannahs)

Galagidae

Galago senegalensis

Senegal galago

Cercopithecidae

Papio papio	Guinea baboon
Papio anubis	Olive baboon
Erythrocebus patas	Patas monkey
Chlorocebus sabaeus	Green monkey
Chlorocebus tantalus	Tantalus monkey
Piliocolobus temminckii	Temminck's red colobus

The PAPFor programme is very important for the survival of many primate species. The six PAPFor landscapes contain a total of 26 species, most of which are endemic to the Guinean forests.

A few primate species of the PAPFor landscapes

All the PAPFor landscapes are home to the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), which is an important conservation target. Of the four subspecies of chimpanzee in the world, one is endemic to the forests of Upper Guinea (Pan troglodytes verus) and another to the forests of Lower Guinea (Pan troglodytes ellioti).

Chimpanzees live mainly in forests, but also in wooded savannahs. Unfortunately, these habitats are increasingly threatened by the expansion of both smallholder and industrial agriculture. What's more, although protected, this species is hunted either for its meat or to sell live individuals as pets. There are thought to be only 200 000 to 300 000 chimpanzees left in the world, a number that has been steadily declining for several decades, particularly in West Africa, where deforestation is the highest on the African continent. The species is considered "endangered" by the IUCN.
See its identity sheet.

The Cross River Gorilla

A rare photo of the Cross River gorilla, taken by a camera trap.

There are two species of gorilla in Africa. The Eastern Gorilla is found in the east of the Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda, while the Western Gorilla is widespread from southeast Nigeria to the west of the Congo Basin. The latter species is itself made up of two distinct subspecies, the rarest and least widespread of which is the Cross River Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli), found only in southeast Nigeria and southwest Cameroon.

See its identity sheet

Some other primates……

Among the species that live mainly in the canopy are various species of cercopithecus and colobus.
The Western red colobus (Piliocolobus badius) is found only in the forests of Sierra Leone to the west of Côte d'Ivoire. It is found in several protected areas across four PAPFor landscapes: Gola-Foya, Wologizi-Wonegizi-Ziama, Mount Nimba and Tai - Grebo-Krahn - Sapo.

The Western red colobus © M.

Campbell's monkey © M. Languy

Carnivores of the Guinean forests

From a taxonomic point of view (the classification of species), the term carnivore corresponds to an Order within the Class of Mammals, which includes the Canidae, Felidae, Genets, Mustelidse and a few other related families. There are 29 species of carnivores in the Guinean forests, of which around half are typically forest-dwelling and the others are adapted to both forest and savannah environments.

The list of carnivores in Guinean forests

Some of these species have very restricted distributions, such as the Liberian mongoose (Liberiictis kuhni), which is the only species in the Liberiictis genus. It is only found between the St John River in eastern Liberia and the Sassandra River in western Côte d'Ivoire. This small carnivore prefers the banks of rivers and undergrowth where there are plenty of earthworms on which it feeds. Given its limited distribution and the threats to primary forests, this species is considered threatened by the IUCN. Given that its distribution corresponds almost perfectly to the Tai - Grebo-Krahn - Sapo landscape, the PAPFor programme is important for ensuring the survival of this unique species.

With a genus name (Liberiictis) referring to the country and a distribution practically limited to Liberia, this species is one of Liberia's emblematic species.

Red mongoose © M. Languy

The Common slender mongoose, also known as the red mongoose (Galerella sanguinea), is fairly common in the peripheral areas of the Guinean forests.

And many other mammal species...

Other mammals typical of the Guinean forests include duikers, a genus of small forest antelopes. Several duikers are endemic, some of them emblematic because of their unique appearance. Of particular note are the Zebra duiker (Cephalophus zebra) and Jentink's duiker (Cephalophus jentinki), both of which have virtually the same distribution: from eastern Sierra Leone to western Côte d'Ivoire. Here too, the PAPFor programme is important for the survival of these two species, which are found in the Gola-Foya, Wologizi-Wonegizi-Ziama and Taï - Grebo-Krahn - Sapo landscapes.

See its identity sheet

Jentink's duiker is a source of national pride in Côte d'Ivoire.

A zebra duiker © Kispál Attila https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12640107

Guinea's forests are also rich in rodents. As well as mice, field mice and rats, squirrels (Sciuridae) are a particularly well-represented group, with around 15 species, 4 of which are endemic to the forests of Upper Guinea.

The small sun squirrel (Heliosciurus punctatus) is endemic to the forests of Upper Guinea. Although it can adapt to secondary forests, it remains fairly rare. © M. Languy

The slender-tailed squirrel (Allosciurus aubinnii) is a rare and uncommon squirrel, of which only a few photos exist. Its distribution is limited to Liberia and Ghana and it is often associated with palm trees, as it is fond of wild palm nuts. East Nimba Nature Reserve © M. Languy

Bats are another important group of mammals, because of their ecology: insectivores regulate insect species, while frugivores play an important role in fertilising various plants, by facilitating pollination.

Bats are another important group of mammals, because of their ecology: insectivores regulate insect species, while frugivores play an important role in fertilising various plants, by facilitating pollination.

The Nimba mountain range is world-famous for its great diversity of bats. These include Lamotte's round-leaved bat (Hipposideros lamottei), which is endemic to these mountains and is critically endangered. Even more surprising is the very recent discovery of a new species, also endemic to the Nimba Mountains, the Nimba Mountain bat (Myotis nimbaensis), which was only described in 2021.

Insects

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Of the tens of thousands of insects living in Guinean forests, only a few groups are relatively well known, in particular butterflies and dragonflies.

Butterflies

There are thousands of species of butterflies (Lepidoptera) in West Africa, divided into two main groups: moths (Heterocerans) and butterflies (Rhopalocerans).
There are more than 30 000 species of moths in sub-Saharan Africa, probably about half of which exist in West Africa.

Caligatus angasii, a beautiful moth of the Euteliidae family, is widespread in forested areas of Africa. East Nimba Nature Reserve © M. Languy

Some moths, like this Euchromia, of the Erebidae family, are very colourful and active during the day. Libassa, Liberia © M. Languy

There are nearly 1 500 species of butterfly in West Africa, i.e. more than a third of the 4 000 species known in sub-Saharan Africa. The exact number living in the forest or peri-forest zone is difficult to determine but certainly exceeds a thousand.

Butterflies are particularly important in forest ecosystems: as caterpillars, they are both plant predators and prey for many animals; they also play an essential role in the pollination of many flowers.

The Antimachus (Papilio antimachus), with a wingspan of up to 24cm, is the largest butterfly in Africa. It is rarely seen, except when it patrols the hilltops in search of females, as here in the East Nimba Nature Reserve. M. Languy

As for other groups, the rate of endemism among butterflies is high with at least 120 species endemic to Upper Guinea (limited to western Togo). In the Lower Guinea region, the area from the Cross River Loop to western Cameroon is exceptional: the region of Oban Hills and Korup forest alone is home to over 1 000 species, including several dozen of which are endemic.

Pyrrhochalcia iphis (Hesperidae family) is a large species of skipper, living in forests from Sierra Leone to Gabon; here in Sapo National Park. © M. Languy

Another endemic to Guinean forests: Tetrahanis symplocus, of the Lycaenidae family. Diecke forest, Guinea. © M. Languy

Damselflies and dragonflies

The Odonata order includes two major groups: the Zygoptera, commonly called Damselflies, and the Anisoptera, called Dragonflies. There are over 300 species of Odonata in Upper and Lower Guinea.

[fr]Avec son corps très fin et ses ailes repliées au repos, Pseudagrion camerunense est un représentant typique du sous-ordre des Demoiselles. On la retrouve surtout près des eaux stagnantes, parfois des rivières, dans les espaces ouverts des forêts, de la Sierra Leone au Gabon. © M. Languy[en]Pseudagrion camerunense is typical of the damselflies suborder with its very slender body and folded wings at rest. It is mostly found near stagnant water and sometimes rivers, in open areas of the forest, from Sierra Leone to Gabon. © M. Languy

Chlorocypha luminosa lives exclusively in the forest and likes streams and small rivers. It is endemic to Upper Guinea.

Members of the suborder of "true dragonflies" are generally larger and typically spread their wings at rest.

Hadrothemis defecta, a typical member of the Anisoptera. It frequents the forests of West and Central Africa. © M. Languy

Other insects

Many other types of insects inhabit the Guinean forests. A brief sample is provided here to illustrate this diversity.

Rhynocoris nitidulus (Hemiptera Order, Reduvidae family) is a type of reduviid. These are predators of other insects. Diecke forest, Guinea. © M. Languy

Pochazia albomaculata is a Hemiptera of the Ricaniidae family and looks a bit like a butterfly at first sight. Gola NP. © M. Languy

Termites are social insects, living in hierarchical colonies organised in castes. By feeding on dead wood, termites play an important role in the plant cycle. Some species build large earthen nests called termite mounds.

A column of ants moving eggs and larvae to settle in a new anthill. Soldier ants position themselves on either side of the column to defend it. © M. Languy.

Other animal groups

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Many other invertebrates live in the Guinean forests.

There are many freshwater crabs, some of which are only known from a few localities. They are very sensitive to water quality and are therefore very good indicators of ecosystem health.

Another very diverse group is represented by spiders.

A tarantula of the Stromatopelma genus (probably S. calceatum) in the undergrowth of Tiwai Island, Sierra Leone. Although not fatal, its bite is very painful for several days. © M. Languy

Numerous Diplopods (millipedes, centipedes and others) roam the soil of the Guinean forests.

Another centipede, Sapo National Park.

Freshwater molluscs are not generally considered charismatic and so rarely attract the attention of mainstream media. However, they play a crucial role in maintaining wetland ecosystems, controlling water quality and nutrient balance. They are relatively well known in much of West Africa, because some species act as intermediate hosts for parasitic flatworms.

A very rare relict species that should be considered a research and conservation priority is Pleiodon ovatus. This bivalve mollusc has probably become confined to a single river (Gbangbaia River in Sierra Leone) due to its extinction in other parts of West Africa.

The Cross River gorilla

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The Cross River gorilla is one of the rarest mammals in the world, with a total population of less than 300 individuals. In addition, the species is distributed in small isolated populations, some of which are found in conflict zones in Cameroon. Throughout its range, illegal deforestation and hunting are major threats.

The species is found in a number of protected areas, including Cross River NP, which receives technical and financial support from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), notably through PAPFor.

Given the alarming nature of the Cross River Gorilla's conservation situation, it is classified as ‘Critically Endangered' by the IUCN.

Identity sheet

Class: Mammal
Order: Primates
Family: Hominidae
Genus: Gorilla
Species: gorilla
Sub-species: diehli
Weight: 60 to 75 kg for females and 150 to 190 kg for males
Size: up to 1.8 m when standing upright
Diet: Fruit is a gorilla's favourite food but it also eats herbaceous plants, prizing plants of the ginger (Zingiberaceae) and arrowroot (Marantaceae) families in particular. Occasionally, it will eat ants or termites.
Social animal, forming small groups with a dominant male and typically 3-7 adult females.
Life expectancy: not known
Reproduction: Females generally give birth to their first young at around 10-11 years of age, after a gestation period of 250 days. Reproduction is slow, with at least four years between births to the same female.

The Black-bellied pangolin

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Class: Mammal
Order: Pholidotes
Family: Manidae
Genus: Uromanis
Species : tetradactyla
Weight: between 2.2 and 3.6 kg
Size: 30 to 35 centimetres without tail; tail: 55-80 cm
Diet: tree ants (Crematogaster and Cataulacus in particular)
Habitat: very often near forested rivers or swamps
Reproduction: births can take place all year round, as females can be fertile as early as two weeks after giving birth. A single infant is born in a tree hole.
Adaptation: this species has a particularly long tail that enables it to keep its balance when climbing trees, but it mainly uses its tail to cling onto branches.

Because this species lives in areas that are difficult to access and infested with stinging ants, and because it is small and shy, this arboreal species is slightly less threatened than the other more terrestrial species: the species is considered Vulnerable, whereas the other two West African species are Critically Endangered.

Most species of pangolin are in danger of extinction due to local trade in its meat and international trade in its scales, which are sold mainly in China for traditional medicine. Several hundred thousand pangolins are killed every year in Africa. In 2021, for example, China confiscated a stock of 23 tonnes of pangolin scales from Nigeria.

Due to heavy hunting pressure, protected areas play an essential role in the survival of West African pangolins. PAPFor landscapes are all home to at least two species of pangolin and are therefore important for the survival of these species.