Publications
Community knowledge on factors behind extirpation of lion Panthera leo in Comoé National Park, Côte d'Ivoire (West Africa)
Lions were extirpated from Comoé National Park, Côte d'Ivoire, approximately two decades ago due to civil war and subsequent anthropogenic pressures. A study involving 307 participants from 23 villages identified the civil war (2002) as the primary facilitator of lion extirpation, leading to illegal hunting, prey depletion, gold mining, human-wildlife conflict, and wildfires. The Bouna sector saw lions disappear first, while Nassian and Téhini sectors experienced more recent extirpations. Historically, prey density showed a drastic drop during the civil war period but began recovering post-crisis (2016-2022). The study recommends intensified monitoring, limiting anthropogenic disturbances, and enhancing local community involvement to support potential lion reintroduction efforts.
Community perspectives on the prospect of lion ( Panthera leo ) reintroduction to Comoé National Park, Côte d'Ivoire (West Africa)
A majority (73%) of local communities surrounding Côte d'Ivoire's Comoé National Park support the reintroduction of lions, despite historical conflicts and perceived risks. The study, involving 307 respondents from 23 villages, identified key determinants for acceptance: sex, profession, perceived benefits and risks, and appreciation of current management practices. While 81% reported coexisting with lions in the past, 20% had experienced conflicts, yet 74% expressed willingness to coexist in the future. Over 84% believed lion reintroduction would bring net benefits, with 88% confident in taking precautions against attacks. However, only 42% viewed current management as participatory. The findings underscore strong community support for ethical lion reintroduction, aligning with IUCN guidelines, and highlight the need for improved indigenous involvement, particularly among pastoralists.
First report of geophagy by chimpanzees in Comoé National Park, Ivory Coast
Researchers document the first confirmed instance of geophagy—soil consumption—in wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) within Comoé National Park, Ivory Coast. Using camera-trap footage, they observed that chimpanzees of all ages and both sexes ingested soil, often facilitated by leaf-sponge tools, suggesting a potential reliance on mineral supplements like sodium or clay, particularly during the dry season. This behavior was consistently noted in one community over multiple years and sporadically in another, highlighting a possible ecological need for critically endangered West African chimpanzees inhabiting savanna-forest mosaics.
The Chimpanzees of the Comoé National Park, Ivory Coast. Status, distribution, ecology and behavior
A sustainable population of Western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) exists within Comoé National Park, Ivory Coast, and the adjacent Mont Tingui area, challenging previous assumptions of functional extinction. This population, comprising at least 127 weaned individuals across eight communities, exhibits unique ecological and behavioral traits. Unlike other chimpanzee populations, they rely heavily on forest habitats, consume a diverse diet including insects, monkeys, and snails, and employ specialized tool use, such as honey-dipping sticks with brushes—a behavior not documented elsewhere. They also demonstrate sustainable resource utilization, such as peeling Ceiba pentandra bark without causing tree mortality. The study, conducted from 2014 to 2019 using transects, camera traps, and detailed observations, reveals a distinct chimpanzee culture in Comoé, underscoring the need for urgent conservation efforts to protect this rare population from poaching and climate change.
Patterns of Diversity and Distribution of Arboreal Social Bees’ Beehives within Chimpanzees’ Home Range in a Forest-Savanna Mosaic (Comoé National Park, Côte d’Ivoire)
Research in Comoé National Park, Côte d’Ivoire, reveals that chimpanzees frequently exploit the honey of stingless bees, particularly Meliponula ferruginea, within a forest-savanna mosaic. The study identified five bee species across 16 one-hectare plots in three habitat types: mature forest island (4.2 beehives/ha), secondary forest island (1.9 beehives/ha), and gallery forest (1.1 beehives/ha). Bees nested primarily in Dialium guineense trees, with no significant influence of tree diameter or beehive height on chimpanzee exploitation. These findings suggest that bee species diversity may play a critical role in the survival of chimpanzees in such landscapes.
Comoé National Park – a refuge for critically endangered vulture species in West Africa
Comoé National Park (CNP) in northeastern Côte d'Ivoire serves as a critical refuge for five vulture species, including the critically endangered Whiteheaded Vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis). The park's diverse savannah-forest mosaic and gallery forests along major rivers provide essential habitats for these birds. A long-term study conducted between 1994 and 2000, totaling approximately 24 months of fieldwork, documented the presence and frequency of these species, highlighting CNP's ecological significance in West Africa. The research underscores the park's role as a stronghold for vulture conservation, particularly for threatened species facing decline elsewhere in the region.
Fluid dipping technology of chimpanzees in Comoé National Park, Ivory Coast
Researchers discovered that chimpanzees in Comoé National Park, Ivory Coast, employ a specialized tool-use behavior for extracting water from tree holes using brush-tip modified sticks. This 'fluid dipping' technique was observed across multiple age and sex classes and communities, suggesting cultural transmission. The study, conducted over six months during the dry season, analyzed stick tools used for foraging ants, termites, honey, and water, revealing significant differences in tool morphology between water-dipping and honey-dipping tools. Water-dipping tools featured longer and thicker brush-tips. While this behavior was limited to the late dry season despite alternative water sources being available, its widespread presence highlights the chimpanzees' unique behavioral repertoire, underscoring the importance of their conservation.
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