Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
Dulombi is situated around the junction of Gabú, Bafatá and Tombali Regions in the central-southern part of the country. The southern border of the site is formed by the international frontier with the Republic of Guinea between the towns of Contabane in the south-west and Boé in the south-east. From near Boé the boundary runs northwards along the course of the Rio Corubal to just west of the town of Ché Ché then westwards almost as far as Xitole and so south towards Contabane. The park is drained by the Rio Corubal which flows through it and forms part of the eastern boundary. Vegetation is comprised of dry, sparse woodland, patches of dense woodland and stretches of gallery forest. Mean annual rainfall is 1,500 mm.
See Box and Table 2 for key species. A total of 164 species have so far been recorded from the site, which has yet to be thoroughly surveyed. In addition to those listed below, eight species of the Guinea–Congo Forests biome (A05) have been recorded (see Table 2).
Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals include Pan troglodytes (EN), Loxodonta africana (EN ) (a wet season migrant from the Republic of Guinea), Panthera leo (VU), Syncerus caffer (LR/cd), Colobus polykomos (LR/nt), Cephalophus dorsalis (LR/nt), C. sylvicultor (LR/nt) and Hippotragus equinus (LR/cd) as well as the crocodile Osteolaemis tetraspis (VU). The last sighting in Guinea-Bissau of Tragelaphus derbianus (LR/nt) was from this site.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The site as defined follows the boundaries of a proposed National Park, the plans for which have since been dropped. The population of the area is 8,200, in villages of 12–700 inhabitants. The highest concentration of people is centred around the village of Chumael in the south-west, while the central parts are sparsely populated. Clearing and burning before planting rice is an annual activity around villages. The cleared land is abandoned after only one year then left fallow for the next 6–8. This practice is a particular problem along rivers where gallery forest is cleared. Although rice is the main crop millet, maize, sorghum, cassava, sweet potatoes and groundnut are also grown together with bananas, oranges, lemons, pineapples and cashew nuts. Hunting is widespread. Wild honey is collected for local and commercial use; in the process trees are often cut down and burnt.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Dulombi (Guinea-Bissau). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/dulombi-iba-guinea-bissau on 23/12/2024.
