Tingi Hills Non-hunting Forest Reserve (6833)
Sierra Leone, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Tingi Hills Non-hunting Forest Reserve
Central coordinates: Latitude: 8.9167, Longitude: -10.8000
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 400 to 1850
Area of KBA (km2): 142.92597
Protected area coverage (%): 85.85
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This reserve is located on the easternmost of the mountain ranges in Sierra Leone, close to the eastern border with the Republic of Guinea. The highest point is the Sankan Biriwa massif, on which there are two peaks separated by a narrow gorge. Both peaks rise above 1,800 m, with the northernmost, at 1,850 m, being the second-highest peak in the country. This massif is the source of tributaries of two major rivers, the Sewa and the Mano. The vegetation consists of forest-savanna mosaic from 305 m to 915 m elevation, shrub-savanna on the plateau at 915–1,650 m, and montane grassland above 1,680 m. Gallery forest occurs along the river tributaries at 450–915 m and, in places, up to 1,375 m.
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. Over 200 species of bird have been recorded in the reserve, including six species of global conservation concern. One of these, Prinia leontica, has a very restricted distribution in Sierra Leone. Picathartes gymnocephalus has been recorded in the remnants of closed forest in the reserve. Non-bird biodiversity: The following primates are known to occur: Pan troglodytes verus (EN), Procolobus badius (LR/nt), Colobus polykomus (LR/nt) and Cercocebus atys (LR/nt). Other mammals recorded at this site include Loxodonta africana cyclotis (EN) and Hexaprotodon liberensis (VU).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture | forestry | nature conservation and research | water management
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Savanna | 10 | |
| Forest | 50 | |
| Grassland | 15 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: This area was designated a Forest Reserve in 1947 and a Non-hunting Forest Reserve in 1973. The main threat comes from bush fires, which occasionally cause considerable damage to the forest-cover. Another potential long-term threat is mining, which takes place along the rivers at the southern end of the reserve. There is no management plan for the area, and no immediate development plans exist.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Increase in fire frequency/intensity | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Cole (1967), Gordon et al. (1967), Phillipson (1978).