Gueoule and Glo Mountain Forest Reserves (6093)
Côte d'Ivoire, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Forêt Classée des Mont Guéoulé et Mont Glo Réserves
Central coordinates: Latitude: 7.4167, Longitude: -7.8667
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 500 to 1268
Area of KBA (km2): 490.18682
Protected area coverage (%): 44.34
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: These classified forests occupy much of the highlands between the town of Man and Mount Nimba (IBA CI003). The terrain is extremely rugged, with several peaks reaching over 1,000 m. The vegetation is a mixture of lowland deciduous forest, forest with montane elements at higher elevations, and savanna-like vegetation with grasses and deciduous trees on the exposed slopes of the inselbergs.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas) KBA identified in the CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the Guinea Forests of West Africa Hotspot (2015). Taxonomy, nomenclature and threat status follow the 2013 IUCN Red List.
Additional biodiversity: See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. These forest reserves have been only very briefly surveyed and unquestionably more species remain to be discovered. From the number of inselbergs in the area, Picathartes gymnocephalus is likely to be present in good numbers, while at higher altitudes Prinia leontica probably occurs. Tables 2 and 3 also include some species, indicated by ‘?’, known from the immediate vicinity of these reserves but, as yet, unconfirmed within them. Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | forestry | hunting | nature conservation and research | water management
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 65 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 11 | |
| Unknown | 23 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: These forests are under considerable pressure from the surrounding large and increasing human population. Encroachment is widespread; forest clearance for agriculture and poaching are serious threats to the integrity of these forests. Sangouiné seems to have suffered particularly, but good forest remains in Mont Glo and Guéoulé at least.
Additional information
References: Francis et al. (2001).