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Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
The Biseni forests are located north-west of Ahoada (itself some 50 km north-west of Port Harcourt), just west of the Upper Orashi forests (NG015), in the Taylor Creek flood-plain of the Niger Delta. The forests are seasonally flooded during the rains, but dry out during the dry season leaving numerous small forest lakes.
Raphia palms and some woody broadleaved species such as
Symphonia globulifera and
Ficus spp. are common. There are also areas of tall grass swamps close to the river channels.
See Box and Table 3 for key species. Although as yet little explored, 96 species have been recorded. In addition, the site is a possible locality for
Estrilda poliopareia. Nationally uncommon species include
Baeopogon clamans,
Trochocercus nigromitratus,
Parmoptila woodhousei and
Lamprotornis purpureiceps.
Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals include Cercopithecus erythrogaster (VU), Hexaprotodon liberiensis (VU) and Cephalophus sylvicultor (LR/nt).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Taylor Creek forest has been proposed as a Forest Reserve. Indiscriminate tree-felling for timber, enhanced by access roads built for exploration activities by oil companies, is progressively degrading much of the forest of the area. Hunting and other wildlife exploitation are unregulated. An NGO (Living Earth, Nigeria) is working with the local communities of the area, seeking to develop sustainable resource-exploitation strategies.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Biseni forests (Nigeria). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/biseni-forests-iba-nigeria on 24/11/2024.
