Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
sons of plenty. Among those you're likely to see are flamingos, storks and pelicans
(around waterways), beautiful gannets and fish-eating cormorants (in coastal areas), tura-
cos - including the striking violet turaco - and African grey and red-billed hornbills.
Up to 90% of natural gas from the Niger Delta oil fields is burned as waste, releasing massive amounts of
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and causing acid rain.
One of West Africa's best birdwatching destinations is tiny Gambia, with more than
560 species recorded and several easily accessed birdwatching sites, among them Abuko
Nature Reserve, Tanji River Bird Reserve , Kiang West National Park and Baobalong
Wetland Reserve.
Senegal also offers excellent birding, particularly in Parc National de la Langue de Bar-
barie and Parc National des Oiseaux du Djoudj. Both are famous for vast pelican and
flamingo flocks. Parc National du Niokolo-Koba and the Siné-Saloum Delta region are
some other terrific sites, and there are several other good sites in northern Casamance near
Kafountine.
According to the UNEP, Mt Nlonako in southwestern Cameroon is the richest single locality in the world
for snake species - 63 different species.
Sierra Leone's Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary hosts hornbills, kingfishers and the rare
white-breasted guinea fowl. Around Mt Bintumani, the endangered rufous fishing-owl has
been sighted, while Outamba-Kilimi National Park supports kingfishers, waders, raptors
and the spectacular great blue turaco. The rainforest-rich Gola Forest Reserve is another
fine birding destination, home at last count to 333 bird species, including the Gola
malimbe, while the Kambui Hills Forest Reserve is home to the white-necked rockfowl.
Liberia's Sapo National Park and Côte d'Ivoire's Comoé National Park each host in ex-
cess of 500 species.
Further afield, other destinations that draw birders include Ghana's Mole National Park,
Nigeria's Yankari National Park, Cameroon's Korup National Park and Mauritania's Parc
National du Banc d'Arguin.
GREENING NIGER: A SUCCESS STORY
When droughts struck Niger (and the rest of the Sahel) in 1968-74 and 1980-84, the country seemed destined for
environmental oblivion. The desperate search for firewood and animal fodder denuded the landscape, accelerat-
