Project Update: August 2002

I am now headed back for Bia National Park, Krokosua and Dadieso Forest Reserve. There have been two recent reports of red colobus in Dadieso, a swamp forest on the Cote d'Ivoire boundary.

I have been very busy, but after noticing a dramatic increase in hunting activity I have jumped on the opportunity to really effect some changes in the infrastructure, community participation and research output of the Ankasa Conservation Area (as it is now called). Between my own ideas and those of Julia Trillmich (a representative of West African Primate Conservation Action ‘WAPCA’) we have drafted a hefty list of proposed changes, improvements and meetings to education Ghanaians near Ankasa about the value of conserving endangered wildlife, in particular the Roloway monkey and White-naped mangabey.

Other developments include:
• Due to reduced hunting pressure and increased community support surrounding the Ankasa Resource Reserve, wildlife research at Ankasa has become more feasible since preliminary work in 2001.
• Additional measures planned or underway to encourage and improve reduction of hunting pressure at Ankasa.
• Trails constructed for research on the current project are ideal to monitor wildlife and assess faunal biodiversity and improve observations of wildlife by tourists.
• In collaboration with Julia Trillmich, several steps have been taken to encourage community participation in the conservation effort at Ankasa.