Data Zone
Country/territory: Ghana
IBA criteria met: A1, A2, A3 (2001)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 36,600 hectares (366.00 km2)
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2021 | moderate | low | high |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2001 baseline)
Kakum National Park and the contiguous Assin Attandanso Resource Reserve are situated in the Central Region, about 30 minutes drive north of Cape Coast. Together, the two sites protect some 36,600 ha of moist evergreen forest (Kakum 21,200 ha, Assin Attandanso 15,400 ha). The terrain is generally flat with some hills in the south-western corner. The greater part of the site has been selectively logged. Kakum was logged from at least 1975 to 1989, while logging in Assin Attandanso was continuous from 1975 to 1988. The recently logged areas currently support a thick undergrowth, vine tangles and regenerating secondary forest, but good forest still remains in other areas, with a well-developed canopy and a comparatively open understorey.
Key biodiversity
See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. The site is one of the best-studied in Ghana with 266 species known to occur and a further 56 reported to do so, but requiring confirmation. The eight species of global conservation concern include Agelastes meleagrides which, however, occurs only in very low numbers due to past heavy hunting pressure. Nine species of hornbill have been recorded and Psittacus erithacus are commonly seen, mornings and evenings, flying overhead between roosting and feeding sites.
Non-bird biodiversity: Oates et al. (1997) report more frequent encounters with monkeys at Kakum than at any other site surveyed in Ghana. Species present included Colobus vellerosus (VU), Procolobus verus (LR/nt) and, possibly, Cercopithecus diana roloway (CR). The site is also reported to have the highest density of Loxodonta africana cyclotis (EN) recorded nationally.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Kakum National Park - Assin Attandaso Resource Reserve (Ghana). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kakum-national-park--assin-attandaso-resource-reserve-iba-ghana on 23/12/2024.