Ivorian ecosystems
The Ivorian territory is schematically divided into two ecosystems: the Guinean domain (forest landscape) and the Sudanese domain (savannah landscape). Both offer a great diversity of plant formations.
The Guinean domain. It comprises four main types of formation. In the south, the dense rainforest is characterized by the presence of several strata and stilt-rooted or buttressed trees. Trees can reach heights of fifty meters or more. Mesophilic forest, stretching from Man to Bondoukou, via Séguéla, Bouaflé, Singrobo and Dimbokro. The savannahs of the low coast cover a relatively large area of around one hundred thousand hectares. Situated between the two main domains, Guinean and Sudanese, the Guinean pre-forest district is characterized by a mosaic of mesophilous forest islands and savannahs interspersed with gallery forests.
Sub-Sudanese and Sudanese domains. These are made up of a juxtaposition of forest and savannah formations. Today, the plant landscape is mainly made up of different types of savannah: the whole of northern Côte d'Ivoire is dominated by open forests and the savannahs that derive from them. There are four main types of savannah: woodland, woodland, shrubland and grassland.
Massive deforestation over time
Today, 80% of Côte d'Ivoire's forests have disappeared in 50 years, under the axe of loggers, fire and the machete of planters. Deforestation has considerably disrupted the Ivorian plant landscape, especially in the south, and between 1880 and 1991 melted the 16 million hectares of primary forest to a few shreds of secondary forest, isolated between plantations and fallow land. The 454 000 hectares of the Taï National Park in the south-west of the country are the last remnant of the former Guinean primary forest block in the country. The same is true of the forest and savannah formations, which now cover less than 3 million hectares.
A fauna of forests and savannahs
Côte d'Ivoire has 710 bird species and 232 mammal species. Mammals include 17 species of primate, 19 species of antelope, 12 species of chiroptera and 184 other species of various orders. Taï National Park alone, for example, boasts 47 of the 54 mammal species known from the Guinean zone, and 231 bird species, most of them Ethiopian; in many cases with a subspecies typical of West Africa.
The main characteristic of the Ivorian fauna is the diversity of the species that can be encountered. The existence of major rivers is thought to have acted as geographical barriers, multiplying the number of subspecies in several genera, particularly monkeys. The interpenetration of different plant environments ensures the transition between the dense rainforest and the Sudanese savannah. The progression of the savannah zone, the Baule "V", would have led to the presence of Sudanese animal species in the center of the country.
In Côte d'Ivoire, the promotion of wildlife through photo safaris in national parks has only just begun. Although less spectacular than that of East and Southern Africa, the wildlife of Côte d'Ivoire nonetheless represents a very interesting tourist potential. Well-informed amateurs" represent a not inconsiderable clientele, who have already turned their attention to discovering and approaching chimpanzee families. And there are plenty of other opportunities waiting to be tapped. For further information, visit the website of the Office Ivoirien des Parcs et Réserves(www.oipr.ci).
The problems of cohabitation and poaching
But intensive colonial hunting with firearms, followed by poaching, decimated the country of its wild animals. According to one of the few studies on the subject, in the Lamto region alone, of the 63 mammal species present before 1950, only 36 still existed in 1990, of which 13 were exceptional. The loss of species diversity is even more marked if we consider only large and medium-sized mammals: 39 species were present before 1950 and only 14 in 1990, of which 8 were exceptional.
The problem of relations between park managers and the populations living on their periphery cannot be ignored. For these populations, such as the Lobis in Comoé National Park, hunting, combined with land cultivation, is often the only means of subsistence, and the fact that hunting is banned deprives them of a source of food, and even income. These populations therefore tend to see protected areas as obstacles and constraints. In response, they engage in poaching and sometimes lobby for the partial declassification of land in order to expand their activities (cultivation, hunting). Two types of poaching coexist: firstly, occasional "family" poaching. Most often, this is a traditional activity involving somewhat archaic methods and rustic weapons. The product is essentially absorbed by family consumption, although any surplus is sold along transport routes. Then there is commercial poaching, using modern weapons and far more destructive than the former, with poachers working for merchants and people of privilege who supply them with weapons and ammunition.
The elephant, emblem of the country in the process of extinction
The elephant, the national emblem that gave its name to the country so numerous were the pachyderms when the colonists arrived, is in serious danger of extinction in the country. Côte d'Ivoire even has two species: the savannah elephant(Loxodonta africana) and the forest elephant(Lonxodonta cyclotis). But of the hundred thousand or so elephants present in Côte d'Ivoire at the beginning of the century, there were just 1,139 individuals in 26 habitats in 2000. Today, only 300 remain, restricted to a few of the most remote and inaccessible habitats. In the classified forests of Téné, Bolo, Okromodou and the Marahoué and Azagny national parks, there is no trace of the already sadly extinct pachyderm. The relics of existing groups number only 3 to 6 elephants, compared with the dozens usually found in the Comoé and Taï forest national parks. What's more, outside protected areas, the last remaining elephants are exposed to angry local populations, as they destroy their crops. Around ten human-elephant conflicts are reported in the country every year. What's more, demand for Asian ivory is still very strong, boosting elephant poaching in Africa. Internationally, Côte d'Ivoire is one of 9 African countries calling for all elephants to be included in Appendix 1 of CITES - the most protective appendix - which calls for a total ban on the sale of ivory. In 2023, the Ivorian government adopted a bill to promote elephant conservation, validated by parliament in 2024, which provides for the creation of "elephant sanctuaries".
A great potential of parks and reserves
The first wildlife reserves date back to 1953: those of Bouna and Haut-Sassandra (now Comoé and Taï national parks) and Banco national park. The other protected park and reserve territories were classified in 1968 and 1981. These 8 national parks and 6 fauna and flora reserves cover an area of 21,038 km², or 6.53% of the country, and represent a broad cross-section of Côte d'Ivoire's different ecosystems.
The term "ecological diagonal" has been used to describe the distribution of the two parks, Comoé (Sudan savannah) and Taï (dense rainforest), which represent the country's two main biotopes. Three Ivorian protected areas are also listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites (Comoé and Taï national parks, Mount Nimba integral reserve).
ComoéNational Park (1, 149 ,150 ha). Planned as early as 1926 and founded in 1953 as the "Bouna Reserve", the Comoé National Park was renamed in 1968. One of the country's oldest nature parks, it is also its largest by far. It is one of the most beautiful sanctuaries of West African biodiversity, classified by UNESCO. It boasts a remarkable diversity of plant and animal life along the Comoé River, which stretches for almost 230 km. There are 620 plant species, 135 mammal species, 35 amphibian species, 60 fish species, 3 crocodile species, 500 bird species and numerous insects such as termites. Large mammals include elephants, leopards, chimpanzees, wild dogs, hornbills and various antelopes; noteworthy birds include Denham's bustard, white-breasted guinea fowl and jabiru; and reptiles include the dwarf forest crocodile. Hardly accessible to tourists, it's also located in a high-risk area, bordering Burkina Faso, which has been plagued by multiple terrorist attacks since 2018. So much so that in 2019, all the park's stakeholders - prefects, researchers and military organizations - came together to discuss the problem. A total of 300 additional Ivorian military personnel were deployed for the "watertight border" operation in June.
Taï National Park(454 ,000 ha). This extraordinary park on the border with Liberia, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, is the last vestige of the primary forest that covered the south of the country before massive deforestation. Interesting mammals can be seen here: the dwarf hippopotamus, the zebra duiker, the jentink and bogon antelopes, and the cute petaurist (nocturnal flying squirrel). But above all, a host of monkeys, starting with the star chimpanzee (the common species Pan troglodytes and the dwarf species or bonobo Pan paniscus), the mangabey, the white and black colobus, Van Beneden's colobus, the diane cercopithecus, Campbell's mone... There's a community ecotourism project in Taï with overnight stays and visits with eco-guides. There is also a comfortable ecolodge and a modest Catholic mission.
MarahouéNational Park (101 ,000 ha). Located in the center of the country, near Yamoussoukro and the large Kossou lake, it is home to some rare elephants, bongos and waterbucks (a type of antelope) and buffalo. There is a visitor center at the main entrance, as well as high observation points, an elephant pond and a picnic area.
Mont Sangbé National Park (95 ,000 ha). Located in the mountainous region between Man and Séguéla, this densely forested park is home to elephants, buffalo, leopards, chimpanzees, baboons, hartebeests, cobs, hippotraks, harnessed guibs, ourébis and royal antelopes. Its difficult access has so far prevented the development of tourism.
Mont Péko National Park (34 ,000 ha). In the northern extension of the Thai forest towards Man, this park is home to chimpanzees, leopards, duikers, pygmy hippopotamuses, buffalo, etc. No tourism development at present.
Azagny National Park (19 ,850 ha). Located on the coast between Abidjan and San Pedro, towards Grand Laou, it boasts lakes, the marvellous mouth of the Bandama River, and sublime landscapes. The area is home to large numbers of birds during the dry season (migration site), buffalo, forest elephants, chimpanzees and rare manatees protected by the Ramsar project. The park is equipped with observation terraces and watchtowers, and is ideal for river and boat trips. Excursions can be organized from nearby Grand Lahou.
Banco National Park (3 ,200 ha). Located in the heart of Abidjan, this green lung and water reserve is paradoxically a reserve of primary forest still intact, with rare species (mahogany, avorids). Many birds and monkeys of all kinds can be observed. Luxurious hotels and hiking trails can be found here.
Éhotilé Islands National Park (550 ha). Located on the eponymous lagoon near Assinie, this is an archipelago of six islands and the periphery of the lagoon. It is home to 138 species of birds, many of them seasonal migrants, mammals such as cephalopods and warthogs, and above all a large colony of palm fruit bats and manatees protected by the Ramsar project. The park's riparian population is spread across 21 villages, with 30,000 inhabitants living off traditional fishing. Tourists are welcome for boat trips and guided hikes departing from Assinie.
Haut Bandama Reserve (123,000 ha). Located in the north between Bouaké and Khorogo, towards Katiola, this reserve is made up of gallery forest along the Bandama River and Sudan savannah. The region is very wild and non-touristy.
N'Zo Reserve (96,000 ha). The N'Zo Partial Wildlife Reserve is actually adjacent to the Taï National Park. It is covered by dense evergreen rainforest and features the same fauna. It is not currently visited.
AbokouamékroWildlife Reserve (20, 430 ha). Located near Yamoussoukro, in a savannah environment, it was created by Houphouët-Boigny in 1986 for the purpose of tourist photo safaris. Its wildlife comes from the national parks of Côte d'Ivoire and South Africa. Some 757 animals belonging to 16 species were gradually introduced up to 1993, but then suffered from poaching in the troubled years. It is still home to buffalo, hartebeest, antelope and cob, but also to some rare giraffe and white rhinoceros. Visits with a guide and armed ranger are possible on foot or by 4x4, as is camping.
Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (5,000 ha). A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it lies on the borders of Guinea, Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire, and includes the area around Mount Nimba, which rises to 1,752 meters (the country's highest peak). The reserve is home to a rich flora, with dense forest covering the massif up to 1,000 m, followed by mountain forest rich in epiphytes. Endemic species include the viviparous toad and chimpanzees, which use stones as tools! Given its sensitive geographical location on the borders of three countries, no tourist visits are planned here.
Lamto Strict Nature Reserve (2,585 ha). Located at the southern tip of the V Baoulé, south of Yamoussoukro, it is home to an ecology station and a geophysics station, and since 1961 has hosted research programs on tropical savannah ecosystems. The site is easily accessible and can be visited, and is home to a large population of buffalo and cobs.
Dahlia fleurs partial nature reserve (148 ha). The latest reserve, created in 2004, is tiny and located on the outskirts of Abidjan. It is home to 15 species of mammal and 69 species of bird, and is ideal for walks to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the capital.
