Fauna of the Comoé National Park, Ivory Coast

Abstract

The Comoé National Park occupies an area of ca 12, 500 km 2. Its main habitat types are, in the west, the Comoé valley, with riparian forest and adjoining floodplain grassland, and, in the east, hill country covered with savanna woodland. In the woody vegetation Leguminous species are dominant, while the tall-grass cover is mainly comprised of Andropogon and Hyparrhenia species. Of the larger animals, Western Hartebeest, Senegal Kob, Grey Duiker, Oribi, and Baboon, are numerous, whereas African Elephant, Buffalo, Roan Antelope, Waterbuck, Warthog, and Hippopotamus, are present only in small numbers. In the south, species characteristic of the high forest occur—especially duikers and primates. The animal biomass of the Comoé valley habitat is estimated at ca 2,550 kg/km 2, and that of the savana woodland at ca 500 kg/km 2.