Terrestrial small mammal diversity and abundance in Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire

Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire, harbors significant terrestrial small mammal diversity, with 17 species identified across three distinct habitats: primary, secondary, and swamp forests. The study, conducted from March to June 2010 using Sherman's live traps and pitfall traps, revealed that secondary forests exhibited the highest species richness (S = 15) and diversity index (H' = 2.12), surpassing primary (S = 10; H' = 1.79) and swamp forests (S = 8; H' = 1.74). Among the captured species, Malacomys edwardsi was the most abundant overall, followed by Hylomyscus simus and Praomys rostratus. Notably, two species—Crocidura buettikoferi (NT) and Graphiurus buntingi (DD)—are of conservation concern, while ten are endemic to the Upper Guinea forests. This research underscores Taï National Park's role as a critical biodiversity hotspot, particularly for endemic small mammal species.

Akpatou, B. K., Bohoussou, K. H., Kadjo, B., Nicolas, V.,. (2018). Terrestrial small mammal diversity and abundance in Taï National Park, Côte d’Ivoire. Nature Conservation Research, 3(Suppl. 2). https://doi.org/10.24189/ncr.2018.067