Recently, UNESCO decided to remove Niokolo Koba National Park in Senegal from the list of endangered World Heritage sites. This is a fantastic achievement for the Senegalese government and all involved parties. The park, established in 1954 and designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1981, is one of the last habitats for the critically endangered West African lion and the African wild dog.
In June 2024, the Leo Foundation, with support from the Great Plains Foundation in the USA, organized an important training for rangers and eco-guards in the park. Board members Hans de Iongh en Monja van Woensel, along with experts Melchert Meijer zu Schlochtern, and professors Malle Gueye and Mandiane Diop from the University of Thiès, contributed to this training.
The training focused on using advanced technologies to improve the monitoring of large carnivores and their prey. The rangers were trained in deploying solar-powered camera traps to track lions and their prey, as well as using drones with infrared cameras to locate animals in hard-to-reach areas. Additionally, they learned to monitor lions through DNA metabarcoding of their scat and to utilize the software ‘DISTANCE’ to accurately calculate carnivore densities within the park.
The successful and regular implementation of training has enhanced the skills of the rangers and eco-guards, which in turn contributed to the park’s removal from the list of endangered sites. This outcome highlights the importance of ongoing efforts to protect this critical habitat and the unique wildlife of West Africa.
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