Research in Zoology 2012, 2(5): 38-46 DOI: 10.5923/j.zoology.20120205.01 Diversity and Abundance of Butterfly Species in the Abiriw and Odumante Sacred Groves in the Eastern Region of Ghana Beatrice T. Nganso 1,* , Ros ina Kye re mate n 2 , Daniel Obeng-Ofori 3 1 African Regional Postgraduate Programme in Insect Science (ARPPIS), University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, P. O. Box LG PMBL59, Ghana 2 Department of Animal Biology and Conservation Science, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, P. O. Box LG 67, Ghana 3 College of Agriculture and Consumer Science, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, P. O. Box LG PMB L 68, Ghana Abstract Sacred groves in Ghana have been adopted as one of the strategies to mitigate the loss of biodiversity. They are seriously under threat from anthropogenic activities. A six month survey of the butterfly fauna in the Abiriw and Odumante sacred groves in the Akwapim North and South Districts, respectively of the Eastern Region of Ghana was conducted to characterize resident butterfly species diversity and abundance. The transect count method and charaxes traps were used to sample the butterflies. Analysis of butterfly diversity in these groves, which range in size from 400 m 2 to 250 m 2 , was used to evaluate their effectiveness in achieving conservation objectives. Community diversity was characterized in terms of, (a) number of species accumulated versus sampling effort, (b) nonparametric richness estimates, (c) Simpson’s and Shannon-Weiner Indices of Diversity, and (d) Complementarity of communities. A total of 1169 individual butterflies were trapped across all sites representing 89 species from 10 families. Butterfly species richness and evenness in the Abiriw grove was higher than that of the Odumante grove, however, the Abiriw grove harboured a resident community that was not distinctive from the Odumante grove. These findings add to the body of knowledge that indicates that large groves are the foundation of successful conservation programs. Nonetheless, it was observed that both groves harbour a number of species that appear vulnerable to dynamics of forest fragmentation based on changes in their relative abundance across sites. The findings are discussed in the context of potential indicator species and theoretical predictions of at-risk species. Keywords Butterfly Diversity, Sacred Grove, Fragmentation, Protected Areas 1. Introduction Sacred groves sometimes referred to as sacred forests around the world represent a traditional form of community-based conservation. Throughout the ages, they have been protected for several generations for a variety of reasons including religious practices or ceremonies, as burial grounds and for their watershed value[1, 2]. These community-protected forests are often associated with traditional regulations or rules such as taboos, totems and myths that deter human exploitation within the groves. These complex traditional rules have long preserved the integrity of sacred forests and appear to have a crucial conservation role in maintaining biodiversity in sacred groves. There are an estimated 2,000–3,200 sacred groves in Ghana, about 80% of which occur in the southern half of the country[3]. They ranged in size from hundreds of hectares of forest to small * Corresponding author: ngansobeatrice@yahoo.com (Beatrice T. Nganso) Published online at http://journal.sapub.org/zoology Copyright © 2012 Scientific & Academic Publishing. All Rights Reserved areas of about 0.5 ha containing single trees or a few stones[3]. Sacred groves in Ghana were once part of continuous forest cover, but now mostly exist as relict forest patches embedded in an agro-pastoral landscape[4]. In some regions in the country, sacred groves also represent the only remaining examples of old growth forest vegetation harbouring rare, endemic and/or endangered species[5]. It is in this context that these indigenous forests can be used to guide reforestation or ecosystems recovery efforts in a landscape increasingly devoid of forested areas outside the existing protected area network. Ghana’s sacred groves have also been adopted as one of the in situ strategies to mitigate the loss of biodiversity[6]. Despite their high conservation value, Ghana’s sacred groves have been completely destroyed and/or reduced in size[7]. This situation could be attributed to (i) rapid population growth and its attendant problems of urbanization, migration, and resettlement, (ii) increased dependence on western technology, and (iii) the growing influence of foreign religions and beliefs[8]. In an attempt to conserve these indigenous fetish forests,[9] outlined a management strategy for Ghana’s sacred groves that advocates the