Current view: Text account
Site description (2005 baseline):
Site location and context
The park protects the western shores of Lake Volta and the intervening country between the Sene and Obosum arms, which form the northern and southern boundaries respectively. Most of the level land is covered with various types of Sudanian woodland, but the south of the park is clearly in the forest/savanna transition zone. The riparian forests which lined the Volta in the past were flooded by the Akosombo Dam in 1964; the shores of the resulting lake are covered mainly by grass and sedges. The main forest remnants (of dry semi-evergreen forest) are to be found in the south-west, away from the Lake. Other important habitats present include laterite bovals ("bowals" in White 1983) and sandstone outcrops. The park is difficult of access and there are no roads.
The potential total of regular species is estimated to be over 300, but much more work is needed. Species of interest include the warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus baeticatus found nesting on the northern lake-shore, a completely new population and a first for Ghana; the cisticola Cisticola eximius found in the same area represents the first mention in Ghana away from the coastal plains. Other species of interest are those from the northern savannas reaching their southern limits in Digya (e.g. Bubo lacteus, Galerida modesta), and some of the forest-edge birds in the south-west, such as the little-known Nigrita luteifrons, the owl Glaucidium capense, and the cuckoo Pachycoccyx audeberti which is very common
Non-bird biodiversity: There is a small population of Trichechus senegalensis (VU) along the lake-shore, as well as Hippopotamus amphibius. The south-west is especially rich in large mammals, including Loxodonta africana (EN), and several forest monkeys are apparently surviving in small forest patches (e.g. Colobus vellerosus VU, Procolobus verus LR/nt, Cercocebus atys LR/nt).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The main problem in Digya is that of late bush fires. It would seem desirable to protect at least the main patches of dry rain forest in the south-west from dangerous late fires. Improving the protection of fragile habitats through early burning would require more staff than is available at present and improved access. Basic bush roads could be built profitably in the more accessible south-west, away from rivers.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Digya National Park (Ghana). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/digya-national-park-iba-ghana on 22/11/2024.
