Diversity and Spatiotemporal Activity Patterns of Medium and Large Mammals in the Niokolo‐Koba National Park, Senegal

A study of Niokolo-Koba National Park in Senegal reveals that savannah habitats support higher evenness in species abundance distribution compared to forest habitats, despite comparable overall species richness. Using 37 camera traps deployed over 13,080 days, researchers analyzed the spatiotemporal activity patterns of medium and large mammals, finding that these patterns align with known species-specific behaviors. The study also highlights differential habitat use throughout the day, likely driven by spatial segregation between sleeping and foraging sites. These findings underscore the ecological significance of the park's forest-savannah mosaic and provide a baseline for future monitoring efforts in this understudied West African ecosystem.

Ohrndorf, L., Brouillet, A., Zuleger, A. M., Diakhaté, N., Coly, D., Camara, C. Y. K., Diedhiou, A. B., Díez, I. G., Fischer, J., & Zinner, D. (2026). Diversity and Spatiotemporal Activity Patterns of Medium and Large Mammals in the Niokolo‐Koba National Park, Senegal. Ecology and Evolution, 16(7). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.74005