Shai Hills Resource Reserve (6339)
Ghana, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Shai Hills Resource Reserve
Central coordinates: Latitude: 5.9167, Longitude: 0.0833
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 100 to 200
Area of KBA (km2): 3.42566
Protected area coverage (%): 58.17
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The reserve is located in the Accra plains, c.45 minutes drive north-west of Accra, near the village of Doryum. It is dominated by granitic hills rising over 200 m and covered by dry evergreen forest. The vegetation of the plains is mostly short-grass savanna (dominated by Vetiveria fulvibarbis, Brachiaria falcifera and perennial grasses) with shrubs and trees. The hills support a mosaic of grassland, woodland thickets and low forest, while marshy and aquatic vegetation occur around small dams and depressions.
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 Table 3 for key species. The reserve is relatively rich in birdlife; 160 species have been recorded. Species of interest include Bucorvus abyssinicus, Eupodotis melanogaster and Poicephalus senegalus. Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Habitats
Land use: forestry
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 100 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The vigorous invasion of the neem tree, Azadirachta indica, is an issue of concern. This plant, an unpalatable exotic, is believed to suppress the growth of grass. There have been various attempts at eradicating the species, but this has proved difficult as cut stems coppice and it also produces large quantities of fruits which are readily dispersed by baboons and birds. The site used to be the ancestral home of the Shai people and many of their artifacts may still be found.
Additional information
References: Grimes (1987), Schmitt and Adu-Nsiah (1993).