Long-term monitoring of large rainforest mammals in the Biosphere Reserve of Taï National Park, Côte d’Ivoire

A dramatic decline of up to 91% in populations of key rainforest mammals such as forest elephants and bongos has been documented over nearly three decades (1977–2004) in Taï National Park, Côte d’Ivoire, highlighting the severe impact of hunting on tropical biodiversity. This long-term monitoring study, one of the few in Africa’s forested protected areas, used transect dung counts and direct observations to compare species abundance between 1977–1983 and 1995–2004. While some species like duikers and leopards showed resilience, the findings underscore the urgent need for sustained conservation efforts. Additionally, the study revealed that day counts often underestimate densities compared to night counts, emphasizing the importance of methodological rigor in wildlife monitoring.

Hoppe-Dominik, B., Kühl, H. S., Radl, G., & Fischer, F. (2011). Long-term monitoring of large rainforest mammals in the Biosphere Reserve of Taï National Park, Côte d’Ivoire. African Journal of Ecology, 49(4), 450–458. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2028.2011.01277.x