Biodiversity: how to protect threatened species in the Tristao MPA?

Located 80 km from the Rural Municipality of Kamsar, falling within the sub-prefecture of Kanfarandén, Tristao is one of the islands which contains dense biodiversity. Several endemic species are found there. It is within this framework that Guinée Écologie carried out village survey activities. This survey involves identifying endangered species in the Tristao Islands.

This investigation led the Guinée Écologie team to five (5) villages with the aim of making an inventory of threatened species in the Tristao MPA.

These are the village of Katfoura, Campement Katchek, Kabotou, Koungha and Bagadaye.

«This survey consists of verifying which species are threatened in the Tristao MPA. We have found that many of these species are threatened and most are also endangered.»,indicatesAicha Fofanaresponsible for the investigation.

To get to the facts, the activities lasted around ten days. Endangered species include“The Manta ray, the daisy ray, the stingray ray, the Bentfin devil and lesser Guinea devil, the African manatee, the green turtle, the olive ridley turtle, the wrestling turtle, loggerhead turtle",addsAicha FOFANA.

During the survey, communities were interviewed to obtain their opinions on the extinct species in the MPA. Which explains the real threats weighing on these islands.

«They were very receptive, and they explained the disappearance of certain species in the MPA in particular, the panther, the hippopotamus, the scissor shark, the crowned crane. It was also reported the regular presence of foreign boats and fishing canoes coming from Kamsar and surrounding localities which practice unregulated and undeclared IUU fishing. The conservative agents and the management committee of the AMP also deplore the lack of means to be able to prosecute these people who break the laws », she explained.

Among these threatened rays, there is the stingray whose bite is considered very dangerous for local residents. Communities want to eliminate this species because of the danger it contains. Its sting is comparable to that of a snake bite, the traces of which in the human body can last more than 5 months. Thus, awareness sessions were carried out to raise awareness among these populations of the issues of protecting biodiversity in these localities.

 “We raised awareness in this direction to help them understand the issues related to the protection of species in the Tristao MPA. In the future, measures will need to be taken to further protect these species.",indicatesMariama SAVANÉresponsible for the project. 

What must be said, focus groups were organized during this activity.  Questions about endangered species, the existence of certain species in the past, but also about the socio-economic activities of communities and their impact led to this investigation.

 Aliou DIALLO