G.J.B.A.H.S.,Vol.2(3):93-102 (July – September, 2013) ISSN: 2319 – 5584 93 CURRENT CONSERVATION STATUS OF LARGE MAMMALS IN SIME DARBY OIL PALM CONCESSION IN LIBERIA Jean-Claude Koffi BENE 1 , Eloi Anderson BITTY 2 , Kouakou Hilaire BOHOUSSOU 3 , Michael ABEDI- LARTEY 4 , Joel GAMYS 5 & Prince A. J. SORIBAH 6 1 UFR Environnement, Université Jean Lorougnon Guédé; BP 150 Daloa. 2 Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire ; 01 BP 1303 Abidjan 01. 3 Laboratoire de Zoologie et Biologie Animale, UFR Biosciences, Université de Cocody; 22 BP 582 Abidjan 22. 4 University of Konstanz, Schlossallee 2, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany. 5 Frend of Ecosystems and Environment-Liberia. 6 CARE Building, Congo Town, Monrovia. Abstract The forest ecosystem of Liberia is part from the Upper Guinea Eco-region, and harbors an exceptional biodiversity in a rich mosaic of habitats serving as refuge for numerous endemic species. Unfortunately, many of these forests have been lost rapidly over the past decades, and the remaining are under various forms of anthropogenic pressure, subsistence farming, and large-scale industrial agriculture and mining. As part of a broader survey to generate information for conservation management strategies in the Gross Concession Area in preparation for its oil palm and rubber plantations in western Liberia, Sime Darby (Liberia) Inc., commissioned surveys on large mammals species in 2011. Through a combination of hunter interviews and foot surveys, we documented evidence of 46 and 32, respectively, of large mammals in the area. Fourteen of the confirmed species are fully protected at national level and three are partially protected. At the international level, 15 species are of conservation concern, including Zebra and Jentink’s duiker, Diana monkey, Sooty mangabey, Olive colobus, Elephant and Leopard. Key words: large mammal, conservation status, biodiversity, threatened species, Liberia. 1. Introduction Three large blocks of equatorial forest exist in the world. These are situated in South America, in Southeast Asia and in Africa. In Africa, the forest block is divided into two sub-blocks separated by the Dahomey Gap: the Guinean Block of West Africa and the Congolese Block of Central Africa. There is no doubt that the Guinean Block is the most directly threatened. This block covers The Upper Guinea forest block, stretching from Guinea, through Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana to Togo, constitutes one of the very high priority conservation tropical biodiversity hotspots in the world. Due to a combination of anthropogenic factors, it is also one of the most threatened. Currently, the Liberian portion is considered the most important, since it contains the most extensive and relatively intact remaining of the original forest block (Vershuren, 1983). Liberia is the only West African country thought to have been totally covered in tropical rainforest before the influence of human settlement. Currently, this forest is estimated to cover about 49% of the total landmass of the country. The importance of the Guinean Forests of West Africa (GFWA) ecosystem resulted in its designation by Conservation International (CI, 2007) as one of the world’s 35 Hotspots, areas of highest biodiversity richness under the greatest threat. Due to its status as retaining the most intact remaining forest in the hotspot, Liberia’s forests are considered the top priority for conservation in West Africa. However, the once continuous tracts of forests in Liberia, which represent the main sizeable intact forest blocks within the Upper Guinea Forest Region, are now isolated from each other, into two fragmented blocks. There is evergreen forest block in the southeast and a semi-deciduous block in the north-western portions of the country, separated by a distinct transitional zone of disturbed forest vegetation mostly along the Nimba-Monrovia corridor. This division of the Liberian forest blocks is largely due to shifting cultivation and human settlements, which is also compounded by fragmentation from logging and road infrastructure activities. Therefore, Liberia’s biodiversity is under severe threat with rapid loss and decimation of species and habitats that are jeopardizing future development of the country. Biodiversity loss in Liberia is of regional concern because Liberia still holds the last remaining two blocks of the Upper Guinea Forest Ecosystem of West Africa. As we well know, most of the biodiversity in this region is held by the forest. So, further significant loss of biodiversity in Liberia would have adverse consequences for conservation of biodiversity in West Africa. Environmental and social impact assessments have become a prerequisite to the launching of most important development projects in tropical countries, and biological assessments are increasingly becoming a major component of such studies. In addition, as a consequence of massive protests throughout the world, environmental issues are increasingly taken into consideration in the planning and implementation of development projects. The Forestry Development Authority (FDA), created in 1976 to manage Liberia’s forest fauna and f lora, has actively sought the cooperation of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in achieving its mandate.